Daddy Esposito
by potternerd95
Summary: What happens when an ex shows up on Javier's doorstep with a newborn baby? A fluffy multi-chapter story featuring Javier Esposito as a daddy.
1. Chapter 1

**I have to stop writing new stories while I have others that I need to finish. Sorry if you're reading one of my other stories, I haven't abandoned them. **

**This idea has been floating around my head for some time and I think this is the fourth version of chapter one that I've written, so I hope it isn't terrible.**

**Enjoy it, **

**Z**

* * *

Javier moved around his kitchen on autopilot, making coffee and putting bread in the toaster. He took a sip of his coffee and went to get dressed as he waited for his toast. Just as he entered his bedroom there was a knock at the door. Javi opened the door, clad in only sweatpants, to reveal a small blonde woman.

"Hiya, Javi." She greeted happily, pushing through the door into his kitchen.

Names raced through Javier's head until the right one popped in, "Kelly? What are you doing?" It was then he noticed what she was holding. "Kelly?"

She glanced down at the bundle in her arms, "Congratulations daddy. Wanna hold him?"

Javi couldn't speak. Shock radiated through his body. Slowly he nodded, and Kelly placed the sleeping baby in his arms. Javi couldn't help a small smile play across his lips as he held the boy to his bare chest.

"Yeah," Kelly spoke, breaking Javi out of his daze. "Anyway, I'm off. Have a nice life."

Again, Kelly pushed past him and out the door. "Kelly!" Javi shouted after her. "Kelly, what the hell?"

She paused and turned to face him, her expression unreadable.

"You just gonna dump a kid on me? I gotta get to work! I can't deal with this right now!"

"Whatever, Javi. You did this to me! We had one night. That's all I wanted, one night."

"Look, Kelly. I gotta get to the precinct. You can stay here today, can we talk about this tonight?"

"I'm going, Javi. You'll never see me again."

"You just gonna walk outta your son's life?"

"I never wanted him, Javi." With that she turned and walked away.

Javi walked back inside his apartment and grabbed his phone from the counter scrolling through until he found a number that he'd never used. He hit the 'call' button and waited. After a few rings a mechanical voice informed him that this number had been disconnected. "Damn it, Kelly!" He cursed hanging up. Javi quickly dressed and, with the baby in his arms, left to work leaving his forgotten breakfast on the counter.

It wasn't a long walk to the precinct, Javi knew he would get there before most of the other Homicide detectives, so he stopped at a small coffee shop around the corner from his building. Once he arrived at the precinct, Javi walked straight to Gates' office hoping to get some personal leave.

To say Gates was surprised to see him with a baby would be an understatement. "Detective." She greeted. "What could I possibly do for you?"

"Morning, Sir." He began, slightly embarrassed. "I was wondering if I could request some personal time."

"Whose baby is that, Detective Esposito?"

"Um, he's mine, Sir."

She shot him one of her icy glares.

"Well, his momma, she um." He stammered, "I was unaware that she was expecting and this morning she showed up on my doorstep, dumped him then left." The baby woke, and stirred in Javi's arms.

The captain's look softened, "Well he sure is a cute one." She approached Javi and cooed at the little boy. "What's his name?"

"Uh, I don't know."

Gates gave him an incredulous look. "How old?"

"Not sure of that either."

"What are you sure of detective?"

"Nothing. Kelly sort of just dropped him and ran. No supplies, no details, nothing."

"Well then, I suggest you find out. I can give you two weeks leave."

"Thanks, Sir." Javi turned to leave, but stopped when Gates said his name. "Sir?"

"If you wanted to avoid an awkward conversation with your team, you missed your opportunity." She gestured through the window and sure enough, Beckett and Ryan were sitting at their desks.

"Thanks, Sir."

Javi slipped out of Gates' office and attempted to make it to the elevator unnoticed.

"Heading off, Espo?" Detective Beckett called out.

"Ah, yes actually. I have some Personal time." He turned to face his college and friend, revealing the bundle in his arms.

Whatever Beckett was about to say died on her lips when she noticed the baby in her friends arms. It was Kevin Ryan that spoke.

"Javi, did you steal a kid?"

"No, I um, he's mine. I think."

"You think?" Beckett asked him.

"Well an ex of mine, you remember Kelly?" He directed the question at his partner.

"The lawyer?" Ryan asked.

"No, that was Stacy. The Blonde."

"Wait the Dutch one?"

"No, that was Bridgette. You remember, she was the one from out of town."

"Oh yeah, the fashion columnist."

"That would be her."

"Anyway," Beckett shot pointedly, urging him to continue.

"Yeah, so she showed up on my doorstep like an hour ago, dumped this little guy then left."

Richard Castle chose that moment to walk through the doors, his usual two coffees in hand. He stopped short when he noticed that group. "Woah, who does that belong to?"

"He's Espo's." Beckett informed her fiancé, taking her coffee from him.

"Woah, I didn't know you were going to have a kid." Castle looked at the Detective.

"Neither did he." Ryan put in before Javi had a chance to respond.

Castle stared at Javi until he explained. "An ex left him with me this morning and then left."

"Ouch." Castle said, "Like, is she coming back?"

"Says she wants nothing to do with the little guy."

"Oooh. What's his name?"

"That's the thing, she dumped him and ran. I don't know his name, when he was born or if I'm even his daddy. I was gonna head down and see Lanie and see if she can answer some of my questions."

"Good idea." Beckett told him. "And, Espo he needs a change."

"Yeah, I should get to a shop and buy some diapers."

"Ok, you get gone, we got a body."

The group dispersed and Javi made his way to the nearest drug store and bought some diapers and a bottle and formula before changing him and heading back to the precinct to see Lanie.

"Hey Lanie?" Espo called when he entered the morgue.

"Yeah," Lanie looked up at him and stopped short. "A baby? Is this about the crime scene I'm about to head to?"

"Ah, no. This is personal."

"Personal? Is this a relative?"

"Ah, that's what I want you to find out. His momma claims I'm his father."

"Oh," Lanie seemed shocked at the revelation, but softened when the baby started fussing. "Well isn't he the sweetest thing!" She cooed. "What's his name?"

"As far as I know he doesn't have one yet."

"Oh?"

"An ex of mine dropped him on me this morning." He informed her. "I was wondering if you could do a DNA test and a blood test. To make sure he's healthy. I've gotta go upstairs and search databases for Kelly's information."

"Kelly? The columnist?"

"Yeah. How did you know about her? I didn't tell you."

"Eh, Ryan told Castle, Castle talks to Beckett and Beckett and I gossip. Word gets around." She replied as if it were obvious. "I gotta get to the crime scene so if I get samples real quick I can run them while I'm gone."

"Thanks, Lanie. You are my hero."

She mumbled something under her breath but Javi didn't catch it. She quickly took the samples she needed. "I gotta get to this morning's crime scene. I'll come upstairs when I have the results."

"Thanks, Lanie." Javi was halfway back to his desk when the baby woke again and started crying. He quickly ran to the break room to prepare a bottle.

Rocking a screaming baby in one arm, he attempted to prepare a bottle one handed but only succeeded in tipping the formula tin and making a huge mess.

"Let me help." Another detective grabbed the formula and bottle from Javi and expertly started mixing it.

"Thanks man." Javi thanked him. "Still learning the ropes, you know."

"Yeah, I know the feeling. I was like that with my first. By the fourth you pretty much have it down." He finished warming the bottle and handed it back to Javi, who haphazardly began feeding it to the baby. "Didn't take you for the fatherly type, Esposito." He mused.

"Ah, well. Situations." He replied crypticly. Javi had little to do with the Detective over the years. He didn't know much about anyone outside of his team. "Thanks, man. For this." Javi gestured to the feeding infant.

"Happy to help." The older detective went back to preparing coffee.

Javi walked slowly back to his desk and sat down, shifting the small baby in his arms so he had one free hand to work his computer. He opened a search database and began imputing everything he could remember about Kelly. He had her name and occupation but beyond that he knew nothing about her. He silently cursed.

Javi was staring at his computer screen, inwardly cursing his lack of knowledge about the woman that left him a child, when Beckett and Castle walked in an hour later.

"Got anything on Kelly?" Beckett asked him, sitting down at her own desk.

"No. I mean," He paused to shift the baby to his other arm, "I know her name and her job. I don't know where she's employed, a current address or anything!"

"Surely she gave you her phone number?" Castle asked, taking his usual seat by Beckett's desk.

"It was either a fake number or its been disconnected. I tried that this morning."

"Run it. Maybe it will give you something?"

"Yeah, I'll try that." Espo replied more to himself than anybody. "Where's Ryan anyway?"

"He went to visit our vic's next of kin. Should be back soon." Beckett began writing things on the Murder Board.

"Ha! Yes!" Javi yelled out. "I have an address and a home phone number. Apparently she lives in Philly." He started writing down a number with a huge grin on his face.

"What's Javi grinning about?" Ryan asked Beckett when he walked in.

"He has an address on Kelly."

"And," Espo piped up, "A real name."

"Wait she gave you a fake name?" Ryan asked him.

"A fake last name. Now I have enough information to search for medical records."

The other detectives and Castle left him to his work and they began throwing ideas around for their murder. After a few minutes Espo had found what he needed to know: Birth records for the baby Kelly gave birth to. He printed the information and grabbed his stuff and headed to the morgue to find Lanie.

"I was just about to call you." She greeted him when he walked into the morgue.

"Hey Lanie."

"I got results." Javi gave her a look and she continued. "He's a healthy baby boy." She smiled. "And he's definitely your son, Javi."

Javi stopped dead. Sure, part of him believed the baby was his son, but hearing it confirmed was a different story.

"Earth to Javi." Javi shook himself out of his daydream and turned to Lanie. "I asked you what you found out."

"Oh, I found Kelly's address and home number. I'll call her later when I think she'll be home."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Medical records?"

"Oh. This little guy was born four days ago in a public hospital in Philly. Found a record of his birth but no name or birth certificate."

"Well I guess naming the little guy is all up to you."

"It seems."

"Now, Javi. You got some shopping to do."

"Shopping?"

"For baby stuff! You've got a lot to get."

"Surely there can't be that much?"

"You've got to get a crib, change table, car seat, formula, bottles clothes, pacifiers, diapers, not to mention creams and cloths and baby proofing!"

"I need all that?"

"That's not even all of it."

"This is gonna cost me a fortune!"

"Yeah, you've a lot to get Javi, so I suggest you get it today."

"All right. I should get going."

"You'd better."


	2. Chapter 2

**After the response I got from chapter one I couldn't not keep writing this!**

**Just a note, I don't actually know all that much about newborn babies so all my info is coming from google.**

**Hope you like this chapter.**

**Z**

* * *

Javier pushed his son into the precinct in his new stroller.

"Hey Espo," Castle called out as he headed to his desk, "Name your kid yet?"

"Not yet Castle."

"You can't call him 'the baby' forever. How about Cosmo?" He offered trying to be helpful.

"Castle's right." Beckett put in, "Not about the Cosmo thing, but you do need a name."

"I know." He replied thoughtfully. "I just haven't found one that suits him yet."

"What are you doing back here anyway, Jave?" Ryan asked him from where he sat at his own desk. "I thought you were doing some baby shopping."

"I got enough for now. It's all being delivered later this afternoon, I just wanted to give Kelly a call."

"You can't do that from home?" Beckett called him out.

"Well, she's more likely to answer an unfamiliar number." Javi picked up his desk phone and dialled the number he wrote down earlier.

The phone rang a few times before she answered, "Hello?"

"Kelly, its Javier, don't hang up on me!"

"You have one minute before I do. What do you want?"

"What do I want? Kelly you dumped a kid on me this morning!" He noticed three pairs of eyes on him so he dropped his voice. "What do you think I want!"

"What about it?"

"Let's start with why?"

"Because I don't want a kid. Okay, we done?"

"No we are not done!"

"What do you want to know, Javier? That I never wanted a freaking kid so I gave it to its dad?"

"So, what, that's it?" His voice began to rise with anger, "You decided to drop him on me? No information, no nothing?"

"What's there to know? He was born four days ago, weighed 8 pounds 6, he's healthy, the name is up to you. Goodbye, Javier. Don't try and contact me again."

Javi slammed his phone down angrily, and the onlookers tried to pretend they weren't listening in. "I'm heading off." He grabbed the stroller and stormed out of the precinct.

Javi entered his apartment just as the baby started screaming. He quickly unbuckled the boy from the stroller and rested him against his shoulder as he searched for the bottle. He only had the one drug store bottle, so he quickly rinsed it and prepared the formula. Javier blew out a sigh of relief when the baby took the bottle in his mouth and stopped screaming. Not long after he took a seat on the couch the doorbell rang. He gently got up from the couch trying not to disturb the boy.

"Javier Esposito?" A man stood at his door.

"Yes?"

"We have a delivery for you. Would you like us to start bringing it up?"

"Yeah, thanks man." Javi kicked a doorstop into place to prop the door open, then went back to his place on the couch.

Before long two guys entered his apartment carrying boxes, "Where would you like these, Mr Esposito?" The first one asked him.

"Anywhere will do."

Javi watched the men bring in a few more loads of boxes as the baby finished his bottle. Javi propped the boy up on his shoulder and began to rub his back like he'd seen them do in the chick flicks that exes made him watch.

"That's the last one." The second delivery guy informed him, "Just need you to sign it off."

"Yep." Javi stood up and scrawled his signature on the line. "Thanks man."

The delivery men left and Javi took in the sight of his living room. There were boxes absolutely everywhere! Javi heard his son let out a small burp so he placed him to sleep in the pram and grabbed his phone to make a call.

"Ryan." Kevin answered on the first ring.

"Yo Kev, its Javi."

"Hey Javi, how goes things with the little guy?"

"Not bad, man. When are you off work?"

"Well, normally that wouldn't be until late but we've closed this case so I'm heading out now. Why?"

"Reckon you could come over and help me move some stuff?"

"Uh," Kevin thought about it for a moment before answering. "Yeah sure. I'll be there in a half hour."

"Thanks man, you saved my ass!"

Thirty minutes later, almost exactly, Kevin let himself in to Javi's apartment.

"Woah, Javi this place is a mess!"

"You don't know the half of it. I've already unpacked like three boxes."

"How could you possibly need all this stuff?"

"The lady at the store helped me out. Apparently this is just like basic stuff."

Kevin frowned at his partner, "I can't believe I agreed to this. Where do we start?"

"Well I was going to start putting the crib together in the spare room." Javi walked into the spare room, followed by Kevin. "I guess it's a nursery now."

"Are you having the baby sleep in the spare room right away?"

"Nah, I have a basinet for my room until he's too big for that and then I'll put him in here."

"What's the difference?" A confused look spread across Kevin's fac.

"I don't know, I think just one is smaller." Javi gestured to the big flat box in the middle of the room. "That's the crib."

"Dude, you got a flat-pack?"

"I didn't realise they came like that."

"Well it's" Kevin checked his watch, "4 o'clock now, if we don't get it started now we'll never get it done."

The two detectives pulled out all the appropriate pieces and the instructions.

"Javi, it's in Chinese!" Kevin threw the sheet at Javi.

"Oh, that could be inconvenient."

"Inconvenient!" Kevin yelled, annoyed. "It makes it damn near impossible!"

"Kev, we're adults. We can handle it."

"Son of a bitch!" Javi cursed, throwing the piece at the ground. "This is impossible!" He yelled.

"I told you that!" Kevin yelled back, then lowered his voice, "We'll wake the kid. Calm down."

As if on cue, the baby started crying. "Damn." Javi walked out to the kitchen where the boy was still in his stroller. "Come here, little guy." He picked him up and rocked him in his arms. "Woah, you need a change, boy." The change table wasn't set up yet so he laid a towel out on the floor and proceeded to change his diaper on the still screaming child.

"Javi," Kevin walked out of the soon-to-be nursery. "I've called in re-enforcements." Then noticing what Javi was doing, added with a smile, "You got that?"

"You have no idea, bro. These diapers are designed to be impossible to work."

"They aren't that hard. See that bit?" He pointed to the tab on the side, "You gotta fold that bit out then it goes across to hold the front of the diaper."

"Like this?" Javi did what Kevin said.

"Yeah, you would have had to do this before right?"

"Yeah, I definitely did it wrong the other times." He laughed, then added, "What did you mean by re-enforcements?"

"I called Castle."

"Aw man! Why'd you call Castle? He's gonna get here and be so smug."

"He's done all this before, Javi. He can help."

"He'll gloat is what he'll do." Javi finished putting the baby back in his onsie and picked him up off the floor, rocking him in his arms. He fished a pacifier out of the drug store bag and gave it to the crying baby. "That's better." He noted when there was silence.

"Yeah, well Castle's on his way up."

"Hello, guys!" Castle walked through the door, Beckett in tow. "I heard someone needs help setting up a crib."

"Hey Castle." Kevin greeted him, "Javi is having trouble admitting that he needs help."

"Ah, yes. Well I had to ask my mother for help when I was setting up a crib for Alexis."

"Thank goodness I don't need to do that." Javi said.

"Hey, Javi, while you guys go do that, can I hold the little guy?" Beckett asked eagerly.

"Sure, Beckett." Javi handed the boy to Beckett.

It was less than half an hour later that the crib was fully assembled and the baby started fussing again.

"Javi," Beckett walked into the room with the crying boy, "Where are the bottles and formula?"

Javi tried to remember where he put the new bottles when he unpacked them earlier. "Should be in the cupboard above the counter and to the left of the sink, and the formula is on the bench. Want me to take care of it?"

"Nah, I got it." She smiled at the baby, cooing as she returned to the kitchen.

"You really have to name that kid, Espo." Castle pointed out.

"I really have to get the apartment sorted out." Javi walked into the living room and returned with a flat pack chest of drawers.

Two hours later they emerged from the nursery to eat the pizza that was waiting.

"You boys done in there?" Beckett asked when they sat down.

"Just about," Castle answered. "Just got those two boxes there." He gestured to the big and small box left in the living room.

"Nah, the small one is just clothes and such then the bigger one is stuff I don't need right now so I'll put it in the closet."

They ate in silence for a while before Kevin broke it. "Have you thought of any names for the kid?"

"Not really. I've been busy with this stuff."

"What about Axel?" Castle offered.

"Castle, I'm gonna ban you from offering an opinion if you keep going the way you are." Javi threatened.

"There's nothing wrong with Axel" He defended.

"Castle, it's awful." Beckett agreed with Javi.

"How about Beau?" Kevin tried.

"Oooh, that's a good one." Beckett agreed.

Javi stared at the boy sleeping in Beckett's arms. "No, it doesn't suit him."

"Jed?" Beckett put in.

"Definitely not!" Objected Castle.

"You're opinion doesn't count for this. It's up to Espo." Beckett shot at her fiancé.

"No, I'm with Castle on this. Sorry Beckett." Javi took his son from Beckett, "I'll know the perfect name when I hear it."

"What about Alexander?" Kevin suggested. "I mean, it's nice. It's common without being over used."

"I like that." Javi looked at his boy. "It's a strong name. I'll put it on the shortlist."

More names were thrown around, with suggestions like Ajax, Bailey, Cody and Benjamin being added to Javi's shortlist, but he couldn't settle for the perfect name.

"Sebastian? Rhett?" Castle suggested, despite being banned from naming.

"Castle, Espo banned you." Beckett complained.

"No," Javi stared at the sleeping baby, then tried, "Sebastian Rhett Esposito. That's it."

"I like it." Castle declared.

"Me too," agreed Beckett, "Good job Rick."

"It isn't bad." Kevin stated. "But it's late, I should get going."

"So should we," Agreed Beckett, as they all stood to go.

"Congratulations, Javi." Kevin added.

"Thanks for all the help guys."

When Javi was alone in his apartment he placed Sebastian in the basinet next to his bed. He stood over the little boy, overwhelmed with how much love he felt for his son.


	3. Chapter 3

**Here is Chapter 3. Enjoy :):)**

**Z**

* * *

Javi woke up to the sound of his phone ringing. "Esposito." He answered sleepily.

"You still asleep, Javi?" Kevin asked, amused.

"Yes. It's only," he checked his watch, "ten thirty. In my defence, Sebastian kept me up most of the night."

"Yeah, anyway, Gates has some paperwork she needs you to do as soon as possible."

"As soon as possible?"

"As in today."

"I'm on leave, Kevin." He complained, climbing out of bed.

"Yeah, regardless, Gates needs this paperwork done." Kevin hung up.

Groaning, Javi dragged himself into the kitchen and made a coffee and breakfast. When Sebastian woke Javi fed him, changed him and strapped him in his stroller before grabbing the car seat and heading to the garage.

It was when he was trying to strap the seat in that he realised how difficult it was. He quickly read the instructions. "How the heck is this supposed to work?" He asked himself. "What the heck is this?" He examined the various straps on the seat. "Is everything designed to confuse me?!" He exclaimed.

"Javier?" Mrs Stuart, his elderly neighbour, approached. "Who is this little guy?" She gestured to Sebastian in the stroller.

"Hello, Mrs Stuart. That's Sebastian."

"Oh, isn't he just the sweetest!" She cooed.

Javi smiled.

"What are you doing, Javier?"

"I'm trying to put the seat in the car but I think it's broken."

"Oh, it's not broken," She clucked, "Let me." She pushed past Javi and began expertly strapping the seat into his car.

"Thank you, Mrs Stuart." Javi told her when she was done.

"Oh, it is my pleasure." She blushed.

"You make it look easy."

"Javier, dear, I have grandchildren." She offered, like it explained everything. "I best be off, you take care." She got in her own car and took off.

Javi scooped up his son from the stroller and placed him in the car seat. When he folded the stroller and stuck it in the trunk he climbed behind the wheel and backed out of the park.

Almost as soon as Javi pulled out of the parking garage Sebastian began crying. Javi tried to settle his son while trying to keep his eyes on the road, realising that it wouldn't work he fished a pacifier out of his pocket and put it in the baby's mouth. It quietened him a bit, until Javi pulled up at the precinct.

"Hey, little man." Javi opened the back door and tried to comfort the fussing baby. "It's ok, my man." He undid the buckles and pulled the baby to his chest, rocking him until he settled down.

"Fatherhood suits you, Espo." Beckett walked up to him.

"Morning, Beckett." He popped the trunk to get the stroller out. "Busy morning?"

"I wish. Just paperwork." She sighed, and help Javi pull the stroller out. "What are you doing in, anyway? I thought you had leave."

"I do, Gates needs me to do some paperwork."

"Ouch." She unfolded the stroller for him.

"Thank. What are you doing out anyway?"

"Lunch run." She held up a bag that Javi hadn't noticed.

Javi placed Sebastian into the stroller and he and Beckett walked in.

"Yo, Beckett, what took you so long?" Ryan asked when she stepped out of the elevator.

"Picked up a stray." She put the bag of food on the desk.

"Hey, Espo." Ryan greeted him. "How'd the first night go?"

"Great." He answered sarcastically, "Getting up every couple of hours, who needs sleep anyway?" He sat down at his desk behind a pile of paperwork Gates needed done. He'd gotten about a third of the way through when he was interrupted.

"Aw, isn't he sweet!" Lanie had walked up behind him.

"Hey."

"Look at him, he is just the cutest!" She leaned over the baby, cooing. "Can I hold him?" She turned to Javi with wide eyes. "Please?"

Javi glanced at his son, noting that he wasn't sleeping. "Yeah, sure." He said to make her smile.

He wasn't disappointed. Her whole face lit up and her eyes sparkled as she leant over the stroller and took the little boy in her arms. She gently rocked him, her smile never faltering. "Who's the sweetest baby?" She cooed.

"Sebastian." Javi threw in, a wide smile plastered on his own face. "His name is Sebastian."

"You named him?" She turned her smile to Javi.

"Yeah."

"Javi, it's lovely." Sebastian chose that moment to fuss, squirming in Lanie's arms.

"He needs feeding." Javi fished a premade bottle from the bottom of the stroller. "I'll heat this up."

Lanie followed him into the break room where he put the bottle in the microwave.

He snuck a glance back at Lanie, who was whispering to Sebastian. Javi felt his heart flutter at the sight. When the bottle was warm he turned to Lanie.

"Can I do it?" She asked him, eagerly.

"Uh, yeah." He handed her the bottle and watched her shift the boy in her arms and proceed to feed him. "I'm gonna be at my desk."

"Ok." She answered happily, sounding as if she wasn't really listening.

Javi sat at his desk and looked through the window, Lanie was sitting at the table smiling brightly at the feeding baby. He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as he returned to his work. After a moment his computer alerted him to an email from Ryan.

_-Ask her out._

Javi glanced up at his friend who just shrugged.

_-I have a kid, Kevin._

_-So, look at her. Does it look like she minds?_

_-Not going to do it, Kev._

_-Your loss._

Javi went back to his paperwork, not making much progress because he spent a lot of the time watching Lanie interact with his son.

Javi was snapped out of a daydream when Lanie returned with Sebastian.

"The little angel is sleeping." She informed him, leaning over the stroller to put him in.

"Uh," Javi started, "Lanie?"

"Mm-hm." She answered, standing to face him.

"You've, ah, you've got some sick on your shoulder."

"What?"

"The baby vomited on your shoulder."

"Oh," She twisted her head to check her shoulder.

"Here," Javi pulled a cloth from the stroller and wiped the sick off her shoulder.

"Thanks." She whispered, a little breathlessly, when he was done. "I should, uh, get back to, uh, I should get back to work." She stammered and fled the bullpen.

Javi was left shocked at her sudden departure. After a moment he sat, returning to his work. A couple of seconds later an email flashed on his screen.

_-Told you. _It was from Kevin. Javi swivelled in his chair so he could glare at the other detective.

"Yo, Kev?" Javi signed off on the last bit of paperwork on his desk. "I gotta talk to Gates. Can you watch the little guy for me?"

"Uh, sure." Kevin answered.

"If he wakes up just get me. I shouldn't be long."

Javi knocked on the door to the Captain's office before entering.

"Detective Esposito, what can I do for you?" She greeted him without looking up from her desk.

"Afternoon, Sir." He shifted uncomfortably when she stared at him. "I was wondering if, maybe, you could extend my leave?"

Gates seemed to contemplate this for a moment. "Detective, I'm sorry but that's all the annual time you have left." Her expression softened, "Unless you want to take some sick leave, you only have seven days though. I would advise against taking those sick days, with a baby in the house you will almost definitely need them in the next couple of months."

Javi sat in the chair at her desk. "Is there nothing else I could do? I mean two weeks isn't really enough time with a newborn baby."

"I'm sorry, Detective, my hands are tied." She returned to her work, signalling that their conversation was over.

"Thanks, Sir." He left the office.

He collected his stuff from his desk and thanked Kevin for watching the boy before heading home.


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm not overly happy with how this chapter came out, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.**

**-Z**

* * *

After the first week, Javi settled into a routine. He enjoyed his days at home with his son and was reluctant to leave him and return to work. He was due to start on Monday, so that gave him three more days. Javi particularly loved days like today. It was lunch time on a Thursday and Sebastian was sleeping so Javi was playing video games. With precision, he pressed a combination of buttons and killed another group of zombies. When he heard Sebastian cry out, he promptly paused his game and quickly prepared a bottle before bringing the boy into the living room and feeding him. While his son was feeding Javi received a text from Ryan: _Gates extend your leave yet?_

_Not yet, trying. _He sent a quick reply. Javi loved his job, but he loved his son more and returning to work two weeks after his birth didn't seem possible.

He'd been going over possible ways to get his leave extended but so far he had nothing. He resigned to the fact that he would have to return to work on Monday.

Sebastian finished feeding and Javi set the bottle aside and burped the boy, who thanked him by throwing up everywhere. "Thanks buddy." Javi grabbed the cloth and cleaned it up. Instead of taking him straight back to bed, Javi held the boy, letting him sleep soundly in his arms. He decided that it was probably about time to tell his mom.

He grabbed his phone and dialled his mother's number.

"Javier!" His mother answered on the second ring.

"Hey, momma."

"Are you ok, Javier? You're whispering."

"Yeah, I'm real good." He didn't raise his voice, not wanting to wake his son. "I wanted to ask you a favour."

"You aren't in any trouble are you?" Javi could hear the worry in her voice.

"No Mom." He paused, trying to figure out what to say. "I'm just in a bind." When there was no response he continued. "I dated a woman, months back, she left. I didn't see her again until a week and a bit ago."

"Javier, where's this going?"

He took a breath and went on, "She dropped a baby on me, Momma."

"Baby?"

"Yeah, I'm a dad."

There was no sound on the other end.

"Mom?"

"You have a baby?"

"Yeah, a little boy. His name is Sebastian."

"Javier, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I, um, I didn't want you to be disappointed in me."

"Why in the world would I be disappointed?"

"I don't know, but I thought you would be. You aren't?"

"Heavens no! Honey, I'm so proud of you!" He could almost see her smile. "When can I meet him?"

"Uh, well, I'm off work until Monday-,"

She cut him off, "Monday? You're going to have a week and a bit with your child then you're just going to go back to work?"

"I know, I tried to get more time but that's all my Captain could give me. I was kinda hoping you could help me out with that?"

"You want me to babysit when you're at work?"

"Yeah, I mean, if it's ok."

"Javier! Of course I want to look after my grandbaby!"

"Thanks, Mom. I gotta go, I have to get some things sorted out." He hung up the phone feeling relieved. He could return to work knowing his son was safe. For the first time since having Sebastian in his life, Javi felt truly comfortable in returning to work.

Monday morning rolled around way too quick for Javi's liking. His alarm went off earlier than usual and he was up and in the shower straight away. He dressed for work and made his breakfast as usual, then made his coffee to go. He packed a bag for Sebastian for the day filling it with enough formula, two spare bottles, a spare onsie, a handful of diapers and a clean cloth. He had loaded the porta-crib in his car the night before. He slung the bag over his shoulder and quietly went into his room the get Sebastian. With his child in his arms he grabbed his coffee and left his apartment.

Twenty minutes later he was pulling in to his mother's driveway.

"Javier!" She rushed out the front door to greet him with a bone cracking hug.

"Hi, Momma."

"How is my boy?" She held him at arm's length, looking him up and down.

"I'm good, mom."

"And how is my grandbaby?"

"He's good." Javi opened the back door and pulled out his son. "Can you hold him for me? I have to get stuff from the trunk."

"Of course I can!" She beamed, taking the boy from her son's arms.

Javi grabbed his phone and snapped a quick picture of his mother interacting with his baby before grabbing the bag from the passenger seat and popping the trunk. He grabbed out the stroller and carried it inside, his mother following. He made another trip to his car to get the porta-crib, which he proceeded to set up in the study.

"Ok," He declared. "I have to get to work. Um, the bag on the sofa has everything you should need for the day. He has bottles in the bag which he is going to need one in about," He checked his watch, "A half hour. There's a clean onsie just in case and cloths and what not."

"Javi, dear, its fine. I'll manage."

"Yeah, ok. I set up the porta-crib in the study and the stroller is in the entry. Call me if you need anything, on my cell or at work."

"It will all be fine, Javier. Go." Javi sensed that it was an order more than a suggestion so he kissed his son on the forehead and his mother on the cheek before getting into his car. He sat behind the wheel for a good ten minutes before switching the engine on and driving away.

* * *

"Hey, Espo, first day back!" Ryan greeted him when he sat down at his desk.

Javi smiled in response, not feeling great about being away from his son.

Ryan looked like he was about to respond but Beckett chose that moment to walk in and interrupt, "We got a body." She gave them the address then walked away to call Castle.

Javi was happy to spend the drive in silence, but Ryan had other plans. "Happy to be back on the job?"

"Yes and no." Javi offered nothing more to the conversation, but Ryan persisted.

"No? Don't like being away from him do you?"

"No, I don't." He sighed and ran his hand over his face. "He's with my mom. I know he's ok, and I know Mom will look after him, but I don't like not being able to be with him. I mean, it's only been a bit over an hour." He noted the time on the dashboard clock. "I just want to go back home, you know?"

"I don't know, Jenny isn't due for another couple months."

"You will, man. Trust me."

They pulled up at the crime scene when Lanie was examining their body.

Beckett stepped out of her car, "You boys see what Lanie's got, and I'll interview the girl that found the body."

"Good morning, gentlemen." Lanie greeted them. "First day back on the job, Javi."

Javi just smiled in response, then added, "What've we got?"

"Well, vic is a male, mid-forties, stabbed eight times in the chest and abdomen with a non-serrated blade. Time of death is about five hours ago." She looked up at the two detectives from where she crouched over the victim. "Judging by the amount of blood here, I'd say he was stabbed elsewhere but died here."

"So what, he survived eight stab wounds and walked?" Ryan asked.

"No major arteries were hit so it is possible that he survived for a short time. Going by the placement of the wounds I'd say he couldn't have survived for more than a few minutes."

Both detectives glanced up and down the alley they were standing in.

"I'll go find the scene of the stabbing." Ryan declared, walking away.

"We got ID?" Javi asked and Lanie handed him a black wallet. "Vic's name is Nicholas Nickelby."

"Ah yes, Charles Dickens." Castle approached them, two coffees in hand.

"What are you talking about Castle?" Ryan asked him.

"Nicholas Nickelby. Charles Dickens."

Beckett approached the group taking her coffee from Castle. "Our vic is Charles Dickens?" She gave Castle one of her 'Yeah right' looks.

"No, the vic is one of Charles Dickens characters."

"Nicholas Nickelby?" Ryan asked him.

"Oh, I get it," Javi said sarcastically, "A fictional character jumped out of a 150 year old book and got himself killed."

"It's 175 years old, and no, I'm saying that it's probably an alias." Castle rolled his eyes at his collegues.

"Address puts him on the upper east side." Javi read out the address on the driver's licence he held.

"Ok, me and Castle will check out his place, Espo and Ryan you process the scene then canvas for witnesses." Beckett barked out orders and then she climbed back into her car.

After a couple of hours of fruitless canvassing, Ryan and Esposito returned to the precinct.

"Anything?" Beckett asked them when they took their places at their desks.

"Nothing!" Ryan exclaimed, shooting a glare at his partner. "Would have gone a bit quicker if someone didn't keep stopping and checking in with his mother. Find anything at the apartment?"

"A fiancée. About twenty years younger." She replied, offering Javi a small caring smile.

"Obviously gold digging." Castle exclaimed. "The vic lived in the penthouse. Obviously well-off. She did it."

"Uh-huh." Beckett agreed mockingly, adding things to the murder board. "And you obviously have evidence."

"Well, no, but it's a good story."

"Castle, this isn't a book." Esposito told him. "We use facts."

Castle shrugged, then took a seat in front of the murder board. Javi put the victim's name into his computer to get records.

"Espo, how are you going with records?" Beckett asked him after a few minutes.

"Records only go back five years. Before that, nothing."

"Ha! I told you so!"

"Run his prints, see what you get." Beckett told him, ignoring Castle.

Espo ran the prints and came back with the results. "Vic's real name is Brett Jones. Wanted for grand theft five years ago. Got away with Six Million then disappeared. Left a wife kid."

"Get the wife in, see what she knows. Castle and I will talk to the fiancée again."

Javi and Ryan interviewed the wife who claimed that before he disappeared she was ready to serve him with divorce papers. He was in a blue collar job, and each payday she would find him at a local bar drinking away his earnings. She also claimed that at the time of the murder she was in the emergency room with her eight year old son. A story that was easily backed up.

The detectives regrouped to share information. Javi picked up his phone and dialled his mother's number. It rang five times then went to voicemail. He tried again, then again with the same result.

"Espo!" Javi was snapped out of his thoughts, and glanced at Beckett.

"What?"

"I just asked if you had any ideas." She informed him.

"Uh, no." He glanced back down at his cell, as if staring at it would make it ring.

"You seem distracted." Ryan stated, looking at his partner.

"Mom didn't answer her phone. I rang three times."

"She's probably just out of the house." Beckett reasoned.

"Hmm." Javi mumbled, but didn't seem convinced.

"The first time away from them is always hard." Castle told him. "I remember my first time away from Alexis. It was her first day of Kindergarten."

"Did you call the school every hour?" Kevin asked him in an attempt to mock Esposito.

"No. I sat out the front of the school all day."

Beckett rolled her eyes. "Espo, it's almost six. There isn't all that much more we can do today. You can take off."

Javi didn't need to be told twice. "Thanks, Beckett." He grabbed his things and hurried away.

* * *

When he pulled up at his mother's house he had to restrain himself from running inside. He knocked, no answer. He knocked again, no answer.

"Mom?" He called out, his heart beat a little faster. When there was no reply he called again. Still no answer. His hand went to his hip where his gun was holstered, ready to draw.

"Javier!" His mother's voice sounded from behind him and he relaxed when he saw his mother pushing his son in the stroller.

He moved his hand from the gun. "Hey mom. Why didn't you answer your phone? I was worried!"

"I told you not to worry. We were fine."

Javi wasn't satisfied with her answer, but he dropped it. "How was he?"

"An angel." Mrs Esposito beamed. "How was your first day back?"

"So-so."

"Do you want to come in for coffee?"

Javi checked his watch. "I shouldn't. Next time?"

"Of course, dear! Let me get his bag."

While his mother was inside, Javi loaded Sebastian into the car and put the stroller in the back.

"Here you go." Mrs Esposito handed Javi the baby bag. "Same time tomorrow morning?"

"Yeah. Thanks, again, for this."

"Oh, Javier, dear, you know I love to do it."

Javi kissed his mother goodbye and drove off.

After having dinner and showering Javi climbed into bed, exhausted. He stared at his son sleeping in the basinet by the bed. Javi didn't like being away from him, not being able to protect him, but at the same time, he enjoyed his work. The sound of Sebastian's soft breathing eventually lulled Javi to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Ok, so Taylor1989 asked if I could explain the timeline. This story is mostly AU so I'm not following specific episodes but its set somewhere toward the start of season 6, meaning Castle and Beckett are newly engaged.**

**I would also like to add that because I'm writing this story mostly AU things that happened in the show in earlier seasons haven't taken place in this story. I won't give anything away but if it's majorly important it will be explained in later chapters. If you have any questions or are confused about timelines or whatnot, feel free to message me.**

**-Z**

* * *

Javi flopped down in his desk chair, it was past lunch time and they still had no leads. He had spent the morning tracking down the two people that the vic pulled off the heist with. One was dead, shot in a drug deal, and the other was in jail for unrelated charges.

"Yo, Ryan, you got anything?" He asked his partner.

"Nothing." Ryan replied, exasperated. "He's been squeaky clean since he became Nickelby."

"The money he stole," Beckett began, approaching them, "Wouldn't have lasted him five years. Not the way he's been living."

"The six mil would have barely covered the rock on the fiancée's hand." Castle stated, rolling toward the group on an office chair.

"Nah, he has a job on wall street." Esposito told them. "I'm going to see if Lanie can give us anything."

Javi entered the morgue to see the beautiful Medical Examiner leaning over the body. He stood in the doorway for a moment and watched her, he had never noticed her like this. He took in the sight, the way her hair fell over her left shoulder and framed her face; the way she stood when she was concentrating; the crease in her brow that meant she found something.

"Got anything for me, Lanie?" He asked, making his presence known.

"Ah," Javi thought he saw a blush creep up her cheeks, but she hastily turned away. "He had a blood-alcohol reading of .28."

"He was drunk?"

"Fairly. He would have hardly been able to stand up. He would have had to have help getting anywhere. No way he could have gotten anywhere on his own."

"So the killer stabbed him in the apartment, but then helped him into the alley? That doesn't make any sense."

"That's the funny thing. I found a fibre in one of the stab wounds. My guess is it from the gloves our killer wore. The killer stabs Mr Nickelby a couple times, gets blood on his gloved hands and slips down the knife. See this bruise here?" Lanie gestured to a stab wound. "That's from the killer's fist sliding down the knife."

"That's the funny thing?"

"The killer wore gloves, but I found a print on his upper arm."

"There was a second person. Can you lift the print?"

"Mhm." She agreed. "Already done. Prints belong to a Susanne Jones."

"The wife." Javi said it more to himself than Lanie. "Thanks, Lanie."

"It's what I'm here for." She told him as he left the morgue.

* * *

"So, Mrs Jones," Javi threw the file down on the table in front of him. "You told the other detectives that you hadn't seen your husband since he disappeared."

"I hadn't." She replied, playing with the gold chain around her neck.

"Then please explain to us," He gestured to his partner sitting next to him, "How your prints were on his body."

Ryan grabbed the file off the table and opened it. "We looked into you, Mrs Jones. You're a nurse at the hospital were you took your son the night of the murder. What'd you do? Ask your colleagues to back up your story?"

Mrs Jones sighed, knowing she'd been called out on her lie. "Look, I saw him that night but I swear I didn't kill him."

"Why don't you tell us what happened." Javi suggested.

"Two months ago I saw him. I saw my husband, five years after he disappeared and was presumed dead. So I hired a PI to track him down. Turns out he'd been living on the Upper East side with some gold-digging whore half his age."

"So what," Ryan began, "You tailed him to the apartment and killed him?"

"No! I was in the emergency room with Aiden, my son, and I got a call from the PI saying he'd tailed Brett to an apartment belonging to his fiancée. I left my son with one of the nurses and I went to confront him. I wanted him to take responsibility for what he did to me and Aiden. But when I got there he was lying in a pool of blood, barely alive. I tried to get him to my car and take him to the hospital but we got to the alley and he collapsed. I tried to help him but he was already dead."

"So you just took off?"

"I knew if anyone found out I was there I would be accused of his murder. I couldn't put my son through that!"

Javi thought of his own son, knowing how he would feel in that situation.

Ryan noticed the small change in his friend's demeanour and gestured for him to talk outside the interrogation room.

"You think she's telling the truth?" Ryan asked him when they were out of the room.

"I don't think she's lying." He said simply.

Ryan nodded his agreement and went to find Beckett, while Javi went back in to get the name of the PI.

* * *

Javi watched as Beckett lead the PI, Martin Franks, through the precinct in cuffs.

"So, Castle," Ryan turned to the writer. "What's his story?"

"Yeah Castle," Javi put his cell back down, focussing his attention on his two friends. "Why'd he do it?"

"Susanne Jones hired Franks to track down her missing husband, he finds him and follows him to the apartment realises it's his only opportunity and kills him before the wife shows up."

"Why does he want him dead?" Ryan asked him, taking a seat on the edge of Esposito's desk.

Castle opened his mouth to say something but closed it again, realising he had no idea.

"I'm going to see how Beckett is doing with the interrogation." Javier got up from his desk, taking his phone with him.

When he was out of sight from Ryan and Castle he dialled him mom's number.

"Are you checking up on me, Javier?" His mom answered.

"No, I just want to make sure he's ok."

"He's fine, honey, just sleeping."

"Good. Has he been behaving?"

"Javi, honey, it's been fine. He's just like you when you were a baby." Javi smiled, "But I'm proud of you, its past three and this is only the first time you've checked in."

"I've been busy. Mom, I gotta go. Hopefully I can get out of here soon."

"I love you, honey."

"You too." He ended the call and entered the observation room.

"These were found in your car, his blood all over them!" Beckett was leaning over Franks yelling in his face, a preferred technique when suspects aren't saying anything.

Franks didn't even flinch, he just sat staring forward.

"Look," Her voice returned to normal and she sat back down at her side of the table. "We have a witness placing you at the scene, we have surveillance footage of you leaving that apartment covered in Brett Jones' blood."

Still, Franks said nothing.

"Here's what I think." Beckett told him, "I think that you were part of the heist five years ago." Franks flinched but Beckett went on. "I think that when the heist was done, Jones had the others taken care of. You were next. What happened?"

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat but still didn't talk. Esposito sent a quick text to Ryan, _Beckett needs more info, bro._

Beckett joined him in the observation room to let Franks sit.

"We need something else." She told him, staring through the glass.

"I got Ryan on it."

As if on cue, Ryan entered holding a sheet of paper. "Got your text, way ahead of you by the way, Martin Franks has a long record: Petty theft, assault, even arson. I spoke to the detective that worked the heist and he said that Franks was the prime suspect until Jones disappeared."

"Do you think Franks was the ring leader?" Javi looked between the two detectives.

"I'm going back in there." Beckett declared.

When she left the observation room Ryan turned to Espo, a mischievous grin on his face. "Ten bucks says she goes for intimidation."

"Nah, bro. Reverse psychology." The two friends shook hands. They both turned to watch Beckett, interested as to who would win their bet.

"Mr Franks, this is how I think it played out. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong." She paused, pretending to get her story together. "Jones tracked you down and invited you to join the heist. He needed a three man team to pull off the heist, plus a driver. What were you? Driver? Lookout?" She looked him in the eyes, challenging him. "So you did the heist, then Jones got greedy. Took care of the other two and disappeared with the money." Franks chuckled. "Find something amusing, Mr Franks?"

"You've got it all wrong." He informed her.

Javi held his hand out to his partner, and Ryan handed him the ten dollars.

"Enlighten me, if I have it all wrong." Beckett offered.

"Jones wasn't smart enough to pull off that heist. He was our lookout." Franks sighed, knowing he was done.

"Who was the mastermind behind it? Was it Dickson?" She pushed a mug shot of the incarcerated member of the heist toward him. "Or was it Getts?" She set a crime scene photo of the murdered member next to the other one.

Franks pushed the photos away.

"Tell me, Franks!" Beckett pushed, "If you confess now, we can tell the DA you cooperated, lighten your sentence."

"If I don't?" He asked with a smirk.

Beckett flashed him a flirty smile, then grabbed his tie slamming his face into the table. "It would be in your best interests to tell me the truth."

"Ow, ow, ow! Ok!" Beckett released him, waiting for him to confess. "Look, I hired Jones to get through the gates, he was a mechanic. After he served his purpose he was on lookout. Getts drove and Dickson was my second. He'd pulled off heists like that in the past."

"So what? Jones double crossed you?"

"He was supposed to take care of the other two then we'd split the loot."

"But he disappeared with the lot." She said, catching on.

"When I saw him go in to that apartment I wanted to confront him, get my share. I didn't go there to kill him, I just wanted the money."

"What happened? He threaten you?"

"He was going to kill me! He came at me with a knife, I was defending myself."

"No, Mr Franks. One stab wound is self-defence. Eight is murder." She gathered the pictures and walked out of the room.

* * *

Javi grabbed his paperwork to take home with him. Normally he didn't mind staying and completing it but he wanted to get back to his mother's house and see his son.

"Heading off, Esposito?" Beckett asked him, taking a seat in front of her own paperwork.

"That I am."

"You're not going to come to the Old Haunt for drinks?" Castle asked him, sounding genuinely offended.

"Sorry dude, I have a son to get home to." He waved them goodbye and left the precinct. He climbed behind the wheel of his car but paused. He glanced at his watch, 3:40.

He jogged back into the precinct.

"Esposito? I figured you would be itching to get home." Lanie said when he walked in to the morgue.

"I wanted to talk to you." He wiped his suddenly sweaty hands on his pants.

"Oh?"

"You, ah, want to get dinner some time?" She didn't answer him straight away and he misinterpreted that as rejection. "You know, don't worry. Forget I said anything."

Lanie stopped him when he tried to leave. "Javier, I would love to."

"You would?" As much as he wanted her to say yes, he didn't really think she would.

"Don't sound so surprised." She smiled, "Text me."

* * *

"Javier, you are beaming." His mom greeted him with a bone crushing hug. "What has got you so happy?"

"Just seeing my two favourite people." He planted a kiss on her cheek. "How is my little man?"

"Sleeping." She crossed her arms, "Come in for coffee?"

"I'd love to."

Mrs Esposito bustled about the kitchen making them both coffee, neither said a thing.

When she set the coffee in front of him she spoke. "I'm proud of you, Javier." She squeezed his hand. "For handling this situation, with Sebastian."

Javi smiled at his mother, not sure how to respond.

"I love you, Javier, and that little boy, and I know you are going to be an excellent father. I know how hard it is to raise a kid on your own."

"Momma-" He began, but she held up her hand to stop him.

"I don't want you to stop having a life. I want you to raise your baby, I don't want you to walk away from him, but I want you to know that I can keep him nights sometimes. If you need."

Javi felt close to tears, he knew the commitment that a child brought, and he knew how demanding his job was, hearing how willing his mom was to help made him really appreciate what she was doing for him.

"Momma, I love you." He walked around the kitchen table to where she sat and wrapped his arms around her. He didn't realise that he was crying until he heard his mother mutter words of comfort that he hadn't heard since he was a child.

* * *

**That ended up being almost entirely about the case, oops. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had so much fun writing this so the next chapter mightn't be very far away.**

**-Z**


	6. Chapter 6

**Next chapter, as promised. I already have CH 7 in the works so fingers crossed this momentum lasts. Please enjoy. X**

**-Z**

* * *

Javi stood in his bathroom and re-buttoned his dress shirt. He ran his hands down his front, flattening out invisible creases. He was still trying to decide if the white button down and pressed jeans were appropriate for his first date with the perfect medical examiner. He acknowledged that he would have changed for a fifth time if it wasn't for the knock at his door.

"Hey, Mom." He greeted, stepping aside to let her in.

"Don't you look handsome." Javi smiled nervously and ran his hands down his front.

"Thank you, for helping out tonight."

"Oh, Javier, I wouldn't have offered if I didn't really want to do it." She patted his shoulder, "Now you have to go. Aren't you picking that lovely young lady up?" She asked, referring to when she dropped Sebastian to him at the precinct three days earlier. Lanie had been in the bullpen delivering a report to Beckett. She had eagerly introduced herself and showed Mrs Esposito to Javi's desk.

"Yeah, I made a list." He gestured to the counter. "He's sleeping now but he will probably wake up in about an hour. There's a bottle made up in the fridge you just need to heat it up. Diapers and wipes and things are under the changing table in the nursery, but he's in the basinet in my room."

"Go," She ordered him. "I'll work it all out."

"Ok, when he wakes up he'll need a bottle and a change. And if you could bathe him too. It's all set up in the bathroom."

"Javier, I have done this before. Go and enjoy your date."

"Yeah, just call me if you need to."

"Javi, I love you but if you don't walk out that door right now there will be hell to pay!" She urged him into the hall. "Have fun." She told him and shut him out.

Javi was about to say something else when he heard the lock slide in place. Resigned, he headed to the parking garage.

It was only a short drive to Lanie's, but Javi didn't like having time to think about what could go wrong on their date. He'd made a reservation at a restaurant around the corner. It wasn't fancy or exclusive, it was low key and quiet. What if she didn't like it? What if she realises that she can't commit to a man with a kid? By the time he pulled up at her building he almost turned around and went home but didn't when he saw her standing on the sidewalk. She was dressed simply, in dark jeans and a royal blue top, black high heels giving her an extra few inches of height. He parked his car and walked over to meet her, suddenly feeling under dressed in his pressed jeans and white button down shirt. He stuck his hands in his pockets feeling more nervous than he had felt in a long time.

"Javi," She greeted him.

"Uh, you, um," He stammered, trying to compliment her.

"Well, well, I never." She joked. "Javier Esposito at a loss for words.

He was silent for a moment, mesmerised by her smile. "You look beautiful." Was all he could say when he finally found his words.

"You don't scrub up too bad yourself." She smiled, "Shall we go?"

"Yes." Javi offered her his arm, opting to walk the few blocks to the restaurant.

Javi tried his best to concentrate on what Lanie was saying – he really was interested – but his eyes kept wandering to his phone.

"Javi?"

"Sorry, what?" He looked at her guiltily when he realised he hadn't been paying attention.

Lanie reached across the table and took his hand, "He'll be fine Javi." She reassured him.

"I know." He tried to convince her, but his eyes found his phone once again.

"I know you trust your mother."

"I do, but this is the first time I've been away from him at night."

"You have to relax." She stroked his hand with her thumb.

Just then the waiter arrived with their food and their conversation ended. The waiter place the plate of steak in front of Javi and the chicken in front of Lanie. Not wanting to be rude, they waited until he walked away to switch it so they both had the meal they ordered.

* * *

Not much was spoken over dinner; the occasional word here and there. When they were finished, Javi paid for the food and the two left. Walking down the street Javi reached out and took Lanie's hand in his. They walked slower than on the way, neither wanting their night to end. Halfway back to Lanie's she pulled him into a doorway and placed a light kiss on his lips.

"Come in here." She pushed the door open to reveal a small pub. "This is my favourite bar." She told him.

Javi didn't say anything straight away, he was still reeling from the kiss. He took in the sight of the small bar, there were a few groups of people drinking and a pair of bikers playing pool at the table in the corner. "It's nice." He told her, surprised to realise he actually meant it.

"You go get us a drink, I'll set up a game of pool on the other table." She told him, offering him her flirtiest smile.

Javi couldn't help but watch her as she walked away, completely entranced by her. Shaking himself to his senses he ordered two beers from the young girl behind the counter. He made his way to the second pool table where Lanie was setting up the balls.

Javi offered her one of the beers and she handed him a cue. "You ready to get your butt kicked, detective?"

"Oh, I don't think so Parish. I've never lost a game."

"That's because you only ever play against Ryan."

"That's true." They laughed.

"Come on," She said, "You break."

Javi took a swig of his beer and set himself up hit the cue ball, sending it hurtling into the triangle sending balls in all directions.

"Not bad." Lanie commented when the 15 rolled into the corner pocket.

He took another shot, this time not sinking a single ball. When it was Lanie's turn she lined up a ball and sank two into different pockets. She shot him a bragging smile and then proceeded to sink another one.

Javi took his time lining up his next shot, knowing that Lanie had a good chance at beating him. Just as he was about to take the shot he felt her press up against him, her breath hot against his ear.

"Don't miss." She whispered.

Distracted, he took the shot sending the 8 ball into the middle pocket.

"Ooh, bad luck."

"Bad luck? You cheated!" He accused.

"I wouldn't call it cheating." She told him.

"What would you call it?"

She pretended to think about it for a moment before she replied. "Talent." She added a wink.

Javi raised his hands in mock defeat and inserted another coin into the table and racked up the balls.

They managed to get through the whole game without Lanie using her 'talents', but she still won.

"I let you win." He declared when Lanie's last ball found the pocket.

"Uh-huh." She replied in a non-believing tone.

"I did." He tried to stick to his story but he knew it wasn't true – and so did Lanie.

After more games Javi noticed the time for the first time since the restaurant, and was shocked to realise he had been losing to her for hours.

Lanie must have noticed him glance at his phone because she said, somewhat disappointedly, "You have to get home, don't you?"

"Yeah, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, Javi." She took his hand. "Walk me home?"

"Of course." He smiled.

It was only a couple of minutes before they were in front of Lanie's building.

"I had a lot of fun." She told him, staring up at him through thick lashes. "I'm glad you took me out."

"So am I." He dipped his head and met her in a soft kiss. He pulled away, instantly regretting that decision. "I, uh." He whispered.

"Yeah." She agreed, knowing what he was going to say.

Instead of walking away like he knew he should have, Javi kissed her again. Deeper, more passionate this time, pulling her closer to him.

Lanie pulled away too soon. "You have to go."

"I have to stay." He brought their lips together once more. When they broke apart he wrapped his arms around her and whispered, "I actually do have to go. Goodnight, Lanie."

"Goodnight, Javier."

He gave her one more kiss before heading home.

* * *

"Mom?" Javi walked into his apartment and the first thing he noticed was how much cleaner it was. When he left it wasn't messy, per se, but now it looked like every surface had been scrubbed and polished.

"Javier! How did it go?" Mrs Esposito beamed, placing a washcloth down.

"Yeah, good." He glanced around the room, "why did you clean?"

"It needed doing, honey. When was the last time you vacuumed under that couch?"

"Mom, you don't need to clean my apartment! You're already looking after my son."

"No, I'm babysitting my grandson." She corrected. "It needed doing."

Javi rolled his eyes. He was annoyed, but really grateful. "Thanks, momma."

She grabbed her bag, "I best go, I should have been asleep an hour ago but someone was late home." She gave him a knowing smile.

"Bye momma." He kissed her cheek.

"Bye honey."

Javi locked up and climbed into bed, more than pleased that nothing went wrong on his date.

* * *

Javi spent the next few days with a wide, self-satisfied smile plastered on his face. Even he couldn't deny he was happier than usual. Monday morning he was almost itching to return to the precinct so he could see her.

His mother noticed the lack of his usual reluctance and questioned him.

"It's her, isn't it?" She asked, when he stress about leaving to work.

"What?"

"Lanie. She's special."

Javi wasn't eager to discuss the topic with his mother after only one date, but the blush that crept up his face was answer enough.

"I'll see you tonight."

He tried to deny that he was keen to get to work but his mother wouldn't listen, and soon he was in his car on the way to the precinct.

"What's got the spring in your step, Esposito?" Beckett asked him when he arrived. "I take it the date went well?"

"How-?" He started but Beckett gave him one of her famous eye rolls.

"Women talk."

"So, she said something?" He inquired.

"Nothing I can repeat." She turned away to answer her phone, signalling the end of their conversation.

Javi turned to his computer as Ryan arrived at his desk.

"How'd the date go Saturday?" He asked, eager for details.

"Pretty good, I think."

But before he could disclose details Beckett interrupted with a body. Ryan accompanied her to the scene while Javi was left following up on a 911 that could have related to their murder. Hours later, after Javi had successfully found nothing of use, Beckett and Ryan returned along with Castle. It was nearing one and Beckett tossed a bag of take-out in front of him.

"Take it to Lanie." She demanded. "She needs a break and you looked like a kicked puppy when I told you that you weren't coming to the scene."

Javi opened his mouth to challenge her observation, but closed it again and walked away knowing she was completely right.

When he entered the morgue he was greeted with a kiss, "Something smells great." She commented.

"I brought lunch." He replied, still a little shocked by her greeting.

"Well good, because I am starving." She emptied the contents on to a table. "I did not get time for breakfast this morning because of that body," She gestured toward the body lying on the autopsy table.

"Well, I'm glad I could help with that." He sat down opposite her and took his portion of the food. About halfway through, his phone chimed. "Ah, it's Beckett. She needs me to run down a lead."

"Thank you for lunch." She told him genuinely, "It was nice, however brief."

He gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head and hurried back to his desk.


	7. Chapter 7

**This chapter relates to a particular episode. If some details are wrong it's because I had to make some changes because of AU things.**

**This chapter sort of jumps around a bit, changing perspectives and whatnot. **

**Please enjoy.**

**-Z**

* * *

Over the next couple of months, Javi started making small changes to accommodate his relationship with Lanie. She had yet to spend the night at his place because Sebastian was still sleeping in his room.

When he first brought up the idea of moving Sebastian into the nursery Lanie encouraged him not to do anything he wasn't comfortable with.

"I just don't want to be the reason you do something too quick, you know." She told him over the lunch he had delivered to the morgue. Over the three months they had been dating it had become almost a ritual. If they were working a case, he would bring her favourite lunch down and they ate together.

"I want to, Lanie. He's big enough now to sleep in his crib."

"Only if you're comfortable doing it." She loved the idea of being able to spend the night at his place but she didn't want to be the reason for him to do anything he wasn't ready to do.

"So, I was thinking, that you could come over tonight after shift? I'll cook you dinner."

Lanie found his offer too difficult to refuse. "Sounds perfect. But I gotta get back to work." She kissed him and he made his way back to his desk, feeling indescribably happy.

* * *

"We're not getting out of here any time soon are we?" Javi asked Ryan as they walked through warehouses, trying to track down an arsonist.

"Nah, man."

"I was going to cook for Lanie tonight."

"Sorry man." He consoled. "Maybe you could get out later. Have a late dinner?"

"Hm." Javi pulled out his phone and dialled Lanie's number.

"Hey baby, figure out what you're cooking me yet?" She answered.

"About that, it doesn't look like I'll be able to get away until late."

"Aw, really?"

"I'm so sorry."

"No, no, Javi, its ok." She assured him, "How about this: I'll pick up Sebastian from your mom's and cook you dinner for whenever you get home."

"It sound amazing. You are the greatest."

She chuckled, "Tell me something I don't know."

Javi hung up, "What?" He asked Ryan, referring to the look he was giving him.

"Nothing." He tried.

"What?"

"Things going well?"

"Yeah," Javi thought for a moment, "I love her, bro."

* * *

"Hey, Kate, can I talk to you for a sec?" Lanie asked the detective.

"Uh, I only have a sec, Lanie, big case."

"Oh, well if you're busy I'll come back later." Kate was tempted to let her go, this was a huge case and she really had no time to spare, but she could tell something was really bothering her friend.

"Talk to me."

"I just had lunch with Javi."

"How'd that go? Did you tell him?" Beckett asked referring to the conversation they'd had a week prior.

"No, I was going to but you called him away."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. He promised to cook me dinner tonight."

"At his place?"

"Yep."

"I thought he had a rule against his place because of Sebastian?"

"He did." Lanie smiled shyly. "He's moving Sebastian into the nursery."

"So are you gonna…?" Kate let her question trail off knowing that Lanie would get it.

"It's not like we haven't slept together before, but we've never spent the whole night. He's always had to get home to Sebastian."

"And you're happy that you get to spend the night." Kate finished Lanie's thought, feeling happy for her two friends. "So you're going to tell him that you love him?"

"Tonight." Her cheeks flushed crimson. "I'm just scared. You know, what if I scare him off?"

"Lanie, stop worrying!" Kate touched her friend reassuringly. "Ever since he's had Sebastian he's grown up. He sort of had to, but I really think he's ready."

Lanie was about to say something else but Beckett's desk phone rang. "I'll leave you to it. I'm off now anyway. Thanks for the chat."

"Anytime." She picked up the phone, "Beckett."

* * *

Lanie left her friend alone to work and left the building. She loved Javi and his son and this was the first time she would get proper one-on-one with the baby.

Javier didn't see much, the only thing he saw when the blaze engulfed the building was the two most important people in his life: The woman he loved and his baby boy.

"Ryan!" He yelled, attempting to stand. "Ryan!" His head was spinning and there was a persistent ringing in his ears. He coughed, smoke was finding its way into his lungs. That's when he noticed the figure pinned beneath some rubble, "Kev is that you?" He knelt next to his best friend, making sure he was ok. "You alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," Ryan replied, somewhat weakly. "I can't move. My legs are stuck."

Javi attempted to lift the concrete beam that trapped his partner. "It's too heavy!" He looked for something sturdy he could use to free Kevin from under the beam.

* * *

Lanie remembered feeling dread. She felt her lunch threaten to make a reappearance when she saw the news. She had just gotten to Javi's house, Sebastian content in her arms. She hadn't been paying all that much attention to the tv but she caught snippets. Two NYPD detectives, ongoing arson investigation. What case had Javi been working? She remembered him texting her saying something about a warehouse and an arsonist. Her heart stopped when the reality of it hit her. Javi. He was in that burning building. She clutched his boy to her chest and grabbed her keys. She knew the tears were streaming down her face but she held on to the small part of her head that told her it wasn't Javi. It couldn't be.

"Kate!" She yelled, running to the scene, a tiny flicker of hope burned behind her eyes. Kate gave a small shake of her head to confirm the other woman's suspicions. Lanie felt her heart drop. Not him, not now. She felt her knees grow weak before they slammed into the ground. "No, no, no, Kate." She sobbed into the bundle she held in her arms.

"Lanie, come on." The detective put her arms around her and helped her to her feet. Lanie was vaguely aware that she was being ushered into a waiting ambulance, but she felt detached from the scene before her.

The baby in her arms was sleeping but she still felt the need to comfort him. "It's going to be alright, little man." She told him, opting to use Javi's favourite term of endearment. "Your daddy is strong and brave and he's not just going to leave us like this." Her voice wavered, tears once again threatening. That's when she noticed Jenny. Her friend's very pregnant wife. Pulling herself together she called out to her.

"Lanie, Oh my go– ah," She suddenly clutched her swollen stomach in pain.

"Jenny, are you in labour?" She asked, her doctor instincts kicking in.

"No, no." She tried to convince herself. "I mean, yes, but I can't be. Not without Kevin." Another contraction rippled through her body, causing her to almost double over.

"Come on, we're getting you to a hospital." Lanie adjusted Sebastian so she had a free hand to help Jenny.

"Not without my husband." She declared.

"Beckett!" Lanie yelled out as the two women approached her. "She was at the police barricades." She explained, gesturing to Jenny.

"Jenny, you shouldn't be here." Kate reprimanded.

"The hell I shouldn't, my husband's in there." She challenged. "Oh!" She gripped on to Lanie as another contraction came.

"Wait," Kate turned to the medical examiner, "What's going on?"

"She's having contractions." Lanie explained.

"You're in labour?" Castle asked, shocked.

Jenny nodded through tears.

"How far apart?" Lanie demanded, kicking herself for not asking sooner.

"Five minutes. Maybe."

"Woah, no, she can't," Castle stammered, "We have to get you to a hospital."

"Medic!" Kate called to the passing paramedic, "This woman's in labour."

"No," Jenny pleaded, "I'm not leaving, not without Kevin."

"Jenny, there's nothing you can do here." Kate reasoned.

"He's inside, Kate. If he doesn't make it out, if this is it," She shook her head, trying not to cry. "I need to be here."

Kate didn't answer. She had no counter argument because Jenny was right. If it were Castle in the building she wouldn't leave either.

"Come on, let me get you inside of an ambulance." Lanie said, beginning to lead her to the ambulance she vacated not long before. "You need to lie down so we can make sure everything is ok."

"Ok, but I'm not leaving without him." She allowed Lanie to lead her away. "Lanie?" She asked when they were inside the ambulance. "How are you coping?"

"I wasn't." She informed, hugging Sebastian a little tighter. "Until I saw you. You needed me to be coping."

"What if," She started hyperventilating. "What if he doesn't come out?"

"Jenny! Jenny, I need you to calm down. Kevin loves you, he is going to be ok and you three are going to be a family." Jenny nodded and put all her focus into controlling her breathing.

* * *

"Yo, Javi, you ok?" Ryan asked him after he was silent.

"No." He said simply, his throat raw from shouting. "My boy is at home and he isn't going to have a father."

"Don't think like that, man. We are going to be fine."

Javi admired his optimism. "What about Jenny? How's she doing?"

"She's due any day now." His smile turned into a grimace.

The two detectives were silent. Both concentrating on what they had to live for.

"What was it like?" Kevin asked him suddenly, "Becoming a dad, I mean."

"It's like nothing else. I mean, you love this tiny human more than you ever thought possible and every single instinct in your body screams at you to protect him." A tear rolled down his cheek, cleaning a path down his grimy face. "It's the best feeling in the world."

Kevin put his head in his hands and wiped away tears. "You were lucky to have that, Javi."

* * *

Kate blinked back tears as she helplessly watched the burning building that tapped her friends. Her phone rang and she sighed knowing she had to be the strong one. "Beckett." There was no reply, only static on the other end. "Hello?"

"Beckett? Can you hear me?" A voice crackled on the line.

"Ryan?" She asked, relief flooding her body. "Ryan is that you?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's me Beckett." He launched into an explanation of the explosion.

"Yes." She breathed. "I know, Ryan. We're right outside. We've got the whole fire department here. We thought you guys were dead!"

"We will be soon!" Esposito's voice came over the line. "If we don't get some help."

Beckett answered her phone and Javi almost cried with relief. He listened as Ryan explained the situation to her.

_We thought you guys were dead! _All Javi could think about was Lanie. Did she think he was dead?

"We will be soon!" He took the phone from Kevin, "If we don't get some help." He closed his eyes and tried to picture what was going on. Right now Beckett would be notifying the Fire Department and would be coordinating a strategy on getting them out. He thought about Lanie. Was she at his place cooking him dinner, blissfully unaware? Or was she with Beckett? Did she have his son? If he got out he wanted to see his boy as soon as possible.

"We're going to be ok." Ryan whispered to him. "They're going to get us out."

"I hope so."

An unfamiliar voice came through the phone, asking him where they were. Javi told him, making sure to let him know that there was no way out from their end.

"That doesn't make sense." He said. "According to these plans this building has a slab foundation there is no basement."

Javi cursed, "I don't know what to tell you, pal. We're in some kind of basement. There's something wrong with your freaking plans." Javi knew that he shouldn't take it out on this guy, it wasn't his fault but he couldn't help his anger at the current situation.

He passed the phone to Ryan, his anger taking over. Ryan spoke to Beckett for a few minutes before asking for his wife.

Lanie was talking tinny through contractions when Kate handed her a phone.

"It's Kevin?" Beckett nodded and Jenny pressed the phone to her ear, "Is it you? The baby's coming."

Lanie tried not to listen in, especially after Beckett gave her a look that said there was nothing that could be done.

"We need a name for the baby. We need to do that together." Lanie couldn't control her emotions when she heard that. She knew Javi and Kevin were going to die in there and she couldn't do anything to help them. She busied herself by rocking Sebastian so the tears wouldn't spill over. She tuned out of the private conversation, but after a couple of minutes she heard Jenny say, "Kev, Lanie's here. Put Javier on for her."

"Lanie?"Javi's voice crackled through the phone.

"Javi!" She heard her voice waver and felt the tears stream down her face. "I'm so glad you're alive." She fought to keep her voice even. "Listen, we're going to get you out, ok? You won't die in there. Me and Sebastian will be waiting here when you walk out."

"Hey, you won't get rid of me that easy." He tried to keep it light hearted, but his voice was heavy with emotion. "Listen, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

"No. Don't you dare tell me anything, Javier Esposito!" She used her free hand to wipe tears from her face. "You get out of there and tell me in person."

"Lanie," He wanted to explain that the chances of getting out alive were slim, but she wouldn't hear it.

"Javi I please." She pleaded, "Promise me."

"I can't promise." She heard tears in his voice.

"Just promise me, Javi." She stared down at his son, no longer sleeping in her arms. "Promise us. Because once you say it, you've given up. Promise, and tell me when you get out."

She heard him sigh in defeat, "Promise." There was a small pause before he added, "I promise you both. I'll see you soon."

"You'd better not be lying to me, Javier." Her voice broke, her emotions getting the better of her.

"Hey, hey." He soothed, "I promised I would never lie to you. Remember?"

"I remember." She sobbed.

"Tell me, Lanie." He ordered, in an attempt to distract her. "Tell me what you remember."

She let out a small laugh at his attempt. "You got off early." She recollected. "Your mom had Sebastian so you broke into my place and cooked dinner." She paused to keep her voice even.

"What happened when you got home?" Javi asked.

"I broke down." She explained. "I had a bad day and you were so distracted, I thought you were going he break up with me." She took a breath, "But you didn't. You wrapped your arm around me and told me I was being stupid. You explained that Sebastian was sick and apologised for brushing me off."

"I cooked you dinner because you were having a bad day but I was too caught up in my own problems to realise." He closed his eyes and willed his voice to remain steady. "Beckett knocked sense into me."

"I thought you were cheating on me."

"Never."

"That's what you said. Then you kissed me and promised that you would never lie to me."

"And I kept that promise." He whispered, no longer trusting his voice.

Lanie was about to reply when the phone died. "Javi?" She sobbed, knowing that it was pointless. She handed the phone back to Beckett and whispered to the baby, "We'll see daddy real soon." She didn't believe her words. "Because he loves you and he won't ever leave you." That, she believed.

"You didn't tell him." Kate whispered, giving her a sympathetic look.

"He knows."

* * *

**Sorry for ending it like that… I promise I won't keep you waiting too long. **

**-Z**


	8. Chapter 8

"Javier?" He asked his partner, referring to the ealier conversation about naming his child. "You're going to name a white Irish kid Javier?"

"You're going to bust on me now for being sentimental?"

"I figure it's my last chance."

The pair laughed.

"Why didn't you tell her that you loved her?" Kevin asked him after a short pause.

"She said that saying it was giving up. Made me promise that I'll tell her when we get out." He sighed. "But we're not going to get out. It's too late."

"No, no, no, no, no, we're getting out of here. There's a way out and we're going to find it." He stood up, determined. "I'm not leaving Jenny. I'm not leaving my baby without a dad. Neither will you."

Javi tried to listen to Kevin's speech but he felt darkness tugging at him, pulling him to sleep.

"Javi! Javi! Don't you fall asleep on me!" Ryan shook his friend, trying to wake him up. "Javi! Javi!" He called again.

* * *

Lanie put Sebastian down on some blankets in the back of the ambulance when he fell asleep again. She sat by Jenny and held her hand, coaching her through breathing.

"I don't want to do this." Jenny told her. "Lanie, not without him."

"I know, baby. I know, I'm here." She thought of herself alone without Javi. Willing herself to be strong for Jenny she went into doctor mode. "Contractions are two minutes apart. It's coming."

Jenny cried out in pain as the contraction hit her.

"We're going to do this together." Lanie wasn't just talking about the birth, and Jenny knew it. She felt comforted that Lanie was there to help her.

* * *

Kevin was vaguely aware of the sound of brick falling around him. He was so oxygen deprived that he couldn't be sure. Maybe the building was finally coming down. Then he saw lights, being shone around him. Was he dead? No, an oxygen mask was being pressed against his face. He was being rescued.

"Detective, my name is Gavin, I'm with the fire department. Can you hear me?"

"Jenny." He murmered, trying to sit up. "I need to see my wife." He glanced around the burning room and say his partner in a similar position as him. "Told you we would get out, Javi."

Javi gave him a thumbs up as the firemen helped the two to their feet. As they were led out of the building he saw Beckett and Castle running toward them.

"Espo!" She called, relief flooding her as she threw her arms around his neck. He glanced at Kevin and saw Castle with his arms around him. He had never felt so relieved in his life.

"Where's Jenny?" Kevin asked when the reunion was over.

"I'll take you." Castle said then led him to his wife Beckett and Espo following close behind. As they approached the ambulance Kevin heard a cry and tried to walk quicker on his injured leg.

When he looked in he saw his beautiful wife with an even more beautiful baby in her arms.

"Kevin!" She exclaimed when she saw him, fresh tears falling down her face. "You're alive!"

As soon as she saw Kevin, Lanie scooped up Sebastian and ran from the ambulance. "Javi!" She yelled, throwing herself into his arms. She wrapped her free hand around his soot covered body, careful not to wake the Sebastian. "I thought I was never going to see you again," She sobbed.

He ran his hand through her hair and rested it on her cheek, making sure she was there and it wasn't some kind of dream. "Never going to happen, Lanie. I love you." He kissed her then, tears running down both their cheeks.

"I love you, too." She told him when they broke apart. "So much."

Javi turned his attention to his son, taking him into his arms. "And I love you." He kissed his head, tears spilling onto the baby's face. "I'm not going to leave you without a daddy." He hugged the two most important people in his life close to him, thanking God that he was alive to hold them. Soon, a medic ushered him into a nearby ambulance to check him out, while another checked Kevin and Jenny.

Javi was reluctant to let go of Lanie and Sebastian so soon after almost being torn from them both.

"I'm right here, Javi." She consoled, gently taking the baby from him. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

Javi gave her a quick kiss, no longer having trouble walking away because he knew how much her promise meant.

* * *

Javier refused to go to the hospital after the paramedic checked him. Lanie, having finished talking with Ryan and Jenny and their little girl Sarah Grace, took a seat next to Javi in the ambulance.

"You should go to the hospital, baby."

"Nah, I'm good." He said, taking Sebastian into his arms and kissing his forehead.

"You're not, Javi. I almost lost you, we almost lost you." Her voice caught.

Javi wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. "I'm ok now. I'm not going anywhere."

Lanie wiped away the stray tear that escaped her eye. "God, I've done enough crying today." She rested her head against his shoulder. "Can we just leave? I want to go home."

"Yeah." He stood up, "I'll go tell Beckett."

After speaking to Beckett and getting the all-clear to leave, Lanie grabbed his hand and lead him to her car. It was parked haphazardly outside the barricade, barely between the lines. Javi loaded Sebastian into the spare car seat they had purchased weeks earlier. Lanie climbed behind the wheel and noticed her phone lit up on the dash.

"Uh-oh," She exclaimed, reading the screen.

"What?"

"Your mom has been calling me."

"Oh, jeez." Javi ran his hand over his face.

"Here," Lanie handed him her phone, "Call her back. She probably saw the news."

He clicked his mom's contact and listened to it ring.

"Oh my god, Lanie! I saw the news. I heard it killed two detectives and Javier wasn't answering! I had to turn the telly off, I couldn't watch. Was it my boy?" Mrs Esposito answered, not giving him enough time to speak.

"Momma!" Javi had to yell to be heard over her rambling.

"Oh!" the relief was evident in her voice. "Javi I was so scared, I thought it was you trapped in that building."

Javi shared a look with Lanie, knowing she could hear his mother's side of the conversation. "No, it wasn't me. I was just on the scene. Left my phone at the precinct."

"Javier do not lie to your mother!" Lanie mouthed at him.

"I gotta go, momma. I have work to do."

He hung up the phone and Lanie was instantly staring him down. "Why in the hell did you just lie to your mother?" She demanded.

"Come on, you know how much she worries about things. She would just get worked up."

"You know, the second she turns her tv on in the morning it's going to be all over the news. It would be better coming from you."

"I'll go over first thing in the morning. At least she's going to be able to sleep now."

Lanie turned the key in the ignition and held Javi's hand, never wanting to let him go.

* * *

Javi pushed open his front door and saw the half made dinner sitting on his counter. Lanie noticed him looking at it, "I was going to make you a lasagne." She explained.

"Can you hold Sebastian? I need a shower."

"Sure. Take your time."

He kissed her gratefully and locked himself in the bathroom.

"Come on, little man. Let's get you fed and into bed." She told him, mixing up a bottle.

She took him into the nursery and sat down in the armchair, softly humming as he drank. Soon after he was done she placed him down on the changing table. "Let's get you into a clean diaper and pj's." She told him as she expertly replaced his diaper. "What colour are we going to put you in tonight?" She pulled open the chest of drawers and located a soft green onsie. "How about green, little man?" She lifted him and put the cover-alls underneath him and began tucking his legs into it. "You look so handsome in green, don't you? I think you do."

"That's a sight I could get used to." Lanie whirled around at the sound of his voice. He was leaning on the doorframe wearing nothing but a pair of sweats, water droplets clinging to his skin.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to know that I like what I see."

Lanie laughed at him and picked Sebastian up into her arms.

"Here." Javi threw something at her, playfully. With her free hand she caught it, noting it was a pair of sheets. He chuckled and took the sheets from her.

"I was serious," He explained, "I want him in here tonight." Javi proceeded to make up the crib and Lanie sat on the armchair in the corner to watch him.

"Javier, domesticity suits you."

He finished making up the bed and smiled at her and his baby. "You never noticed before?" He joked.

"Oh, I noticed. I just don't think I ever told you." Lanie placed Sebastian into the crib.

Javi pressed the on button on the monitor. "Come on," He whispered, pulling on her hand. "Let's go to bed."

Lanie followed him into his room and he pulled her down on the bed. She cuddled up against him and pulled the covers over them. Each content just to sleep tonight.

"Beckett gave me a couple days off." He whispered into her ear.

"I wish I didn't have to be in there."

"Beckett gave you tomorrow." He placed a kiss behind her ear, rubbing his hand up her side.

It wasn't long before they fell asleep, both exhausted from the day's trauma.

* * *

**Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. Hopefully there wasn't too long of a wait for you. **

**-Z**


	9. Chapter 9

**I am so sorry! my life got in the way but I'm back now (Hopefully).**

* * *

Javi woke up feeling completely recharged. He walked out of his room and into the living room to see Lanie playing with Sebastian on the floor.

"Morning sleepy head." She greeted him, getting up to give him a kiss.

"What time is it?"

"Almost lunch." Lanie told him with a smirk. "You needed that sleep."

"I slept through the whole night? What about Sebastian?"

"He woke up twice. I got him, you didn't even stir."

"I'm sorry, Lanie."

"Don't be, baby. You needed to rest." She sat back on the floor with Sebastian. "Your mom called. She wants to have dinner tomorrow night, I told her we would. She knows you lied, by the way, I explained it to her and she isn't mad. Also, Ryan called. He wants us to come to the hospital, I figured you would want to anyway."

Javi went back into his bedroom and got dressed, and then the three of them were in the car and headed to the hospital.

"Hey guys!" Jenny greeted them when they walked in.

Kevin, who was sitting with his back to the door holding his new baby, turned to see them. "Hey! You came."

"Of course we came, bro." Javi pushed the pram into the room, Lanie followed holding a big bouquet of flowers.

"We figured you needed more flowers," She said, noting the various bunches around the room.

"Thank you."

"We also got this." Javi produced a teddy bear from underneath the pram.

"Thanks guys," Jenny thanked the pair, "But you didn't have to bring anything."

"We know." Lanie told her, taking a seat by the bed. "But we wanted to."

Javi dragged a chair from by the empty bed next to them and sat, gently rocking the pram next to him.

"Can I hold her?" Lanie asked after a few minutes.

"Sure can." Kevin stood up and placed the little girl in her arms.

"She's absolutely beautiful."

"She sure is," Both Kevin and Jenny gushed.

Javi watched Lanie holding his partner's child, drinking in the sight. She had a huge grin on her face and her eyes were sparkling. Javi noted that it was the same look she got when she held Sebastian. He snuck a quick look at his sleeping son wondering how different his life would be if Sebastian were Lanie's baby, instead of Kelly's. He decided that it didn't matter because he knew that Lanie loved Sebastian as if her were hers and that was all that mattered to him.

They chatted to their friends for a while until the nurses ushered them out, claiming it was feeding time.

"We'll come by yours when you get home." Javi told them as they were leaving.

"Congratulations guys." Lanie added.

Walking back towards the car Lanie asked him, "What were you thinking about in there?"

"Why do you ask?"

"You seemed really deep in thought. You barely spoke."

"I was just thinking about how lucky I am." He put an arm around her and kissed her temple.

Just then his phone chimed, closely followed by the sound of Lanie's phone.

"It's from Castle. 'Dinner at our place tonight, 7pm, non-negotiable.'" He read.

"From Beckett: Castle wants everyone here for dinner tonight, hope you guys make it."

"Fancy dinner at the Castle's tonight?" He asked as if they had a choice.

"I think it would be nice."

* * *

Javi arrived at Castle's ten minutes early with Sebastian, Lanie was meeting them there. He knocked and several seconds later a beaming Alexis Castle opened the door.

"Hey, Esposito!" She greeted him and bent down to say hello to Sebastian in the stroller, "Hello little guy. Who's a cute thing?" She cooed.

"Hey, Alexis." Javi spoke as Alexis stepped to the side to let them through.

"What no Lanie?" Castel greeted him as he stepped inside.

"She had to go home first. She said she was going to meet us here." He explained.

"Wine, Espo?" Beckett asked him, "Dinner is still a while off."

"Yeah, sure."

Beckett poured him a glass of red and he walked into the kitchen. "Can I help with anything?" He asked her.

"No, I'm right at the moment. Just sit."

Castle walked into his office and Beckett used the time alone to ask him something.

"So," She began. "What's going on with you and Lanie?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, have you ever thought about making your family more official?"

Javi admired the way that Beckett always seemed to know what was going on with him. "Why do you ask that?"

"I saw how she was yesterday. When, you know." She busied herself cooking while she spoke. "I know you guys love each other, and I really think you will last."

Javi smiled at her statement, but didn't get time to reply because there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" Castle declared, suddenly reappearing in the living room. "Why, hello Lanie." He said to the new guest.

"Hey Castle." She greeted, stepping in to the apartment. "There are my boys." She exclaimed when she saw Javi with Sebastian sleeping in his stroller next to him.

"Hey, chica." He stood up and met her for a kiss.

"Wine?" Beckett asked her, interrupting their moment.

"Yes, thanks, Kate." She rested against Javi's side, and he wrapped his arm around her and pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head.

There was another knock at the door and Castle let Ryan in.

"Hi, guys." He greeted them.

"Hi, Ryan. How's fatherhood treating you?" Castle asked him.

"It's great." He beamed. "Sarah Grace is wonderful."

Beckett pressed a glass of wine into his hand. "That's great, Ryan. I'm surprised Jenny let you out of her sight."

"She told me I should come. I was discharged this morning and she needed rest before they let her go tomorrow." He explained.

The boys took a seat in the lounge while Beckett returned to the kitchen to pull the food out of the oven. Lanie offered to help and followed her into the kitchen.

"Things seem good between you and Espo." Beckett commented after a few minutes.

"Things are perfect."

"I'm glad you're happy, Lanie."

"I'm more than happy, Kate. I've never felt happier than when I'm with those two."

"Come on, help me dish up."

They hadn't long started dinner when Sebastian woke and started crying.

"Excuse me." Javi excused himself from the table and made his son up a bottle, returning to the table with the baby in his arms.

He fed Sebastian while he ate, his friends commented on just how well fatherhood suited him. Sebastian gulped down his bottle and soon needed a clean diaper. When Javi made a move to go change it, Lanie put her hand on his knee to stop him.

"I'll do it, baby. Eat your dinner before its cold." She took Sebastian from his arms and went into the next room to do it. Javi had the rest of his food eaten before Lanie returned. She put the little boy back into his stroller to sleep before re-joining the table. Javi couldn't miss the look that Beckett gave the couple, but he chose to ignore it.

After another few hours Javi noticed Lanie stifle a small yawn.

"We should head off." He declared. "It's late."

"Thank you for coming!" Castle thanked them, "It's really nice to hang out after everything that's happened."

"Thank you for inviting us." Lanie told them, as they walked out the door.

"What are you thinking about?" Lanie asked him as they walked to Javi's car.

"Who says I'm thinking about anything?" He asked, a playful smirk playing at his lips.

"You have that look," She nudged him with her shoulder, "You have that faraway look in your eye. So, what are you thinking about?"

"You. Us."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I love you."

Lanie smiled and threaded her arm through his, "I love you too. Both of you."

"Well, the past couple of weeks I've been thinking about moving to a bigger place. Because, well, my apartment really is too small for a kid." Lanie said nothing as he continued, "And well, last week I put an offer on a house."

"A house?"

"Yeah it's this really nice four bedroom place in the suburbs. It's in a great neighbourhood, has a large backyard and a pool. And it is far enough out of the city while still being close enough to the precinct."

"I didn't know you were looking at moving." She said, sounding slightly hurt.

"I was going to tell you when I heard back from the realtor. But what I really want to know is if you would move in with us?" When she was silent, he quickly added, "I mean, if you don't want to, that's fine. I mean, I do need a bigger place and I would love it if you lived with us but I understand if you don't want to commit to living with a man with someone else's child."

"Javi, stop talking." She tugged gently on his arm to get him to stop walking, "Why would you think that commitment is an issue?"

"I just don't want you to feel rushed or pressured into anything."

"Nothing would make me happier than moving in with you and Sebastian."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Good." They continued walking to Javi's car. "I'm glad."

* * *

**A whole lot shorter than I originally planned but I'll get cracking straight away on the next chapter. **

**-Z**


	10. Chapter 10

Javi woke with Lanie in his arms and, if it wasn't for his crying boy in the next room, he would have been content to stay like that. He sighed and gently extracted himself from the woman he loved, trying not to wake her. Javi fumbled his way through the dark, tripping over boxes that littered the apartment. His usually tidy home was full of mess and clutter as he and Lanie prepared to move into their new house. Javi entered his son's room and immediately stubbed his toe on the chest of drawers.

"Shit." He cursed, "That hurt." He slid his hand over the wall until his hand found the light switch. When he flicked it on he was able to move through the maze of boxes until he reached Sebastian's crib. "What's wrong little man?" He asked the four-month-old as he picked him up and held him to his chest. "Are you hungry?" Of course, Javi knew the answer and he went into the kitchen to heat up a bottle for him.

Javi grabbed a pre-made bottle from the fridge and put it in the microwave to heat as he gently rocked his crying child. "Come on, little man, Lanie's sleeping please don't wake her." The microwave beeped, signalling the bottle was ready. With the bottle in hand, Javi settled on the couch and fed his little guy. Already exhausted from his week's work, Javi tried not to fall asleep as his son slowly fed. When Sebastian had finished his bottle Javi quickly changed him and put him straight back to bed, before collapsing back in his own.

It felt like he had just laid down when his alarm invaded his sleep.

"No!" He groaned hitting the snooze button.

"Get up, Javi." He heard Lanie order. He opened one eye and saw her fully dressed and standing over the bed with a disapproving look on her face.

"No! Ten more minutes."

"Javier!" He could hear the smile in her voice, "Come on, Castle and Beckett will be here in an hour to help us move."

"What time is it?"

"Seven."

"Seven? I was up with Sebastian only an hour ago!"

"Up."

Sighing, Javi knew she was right and forced himself out of bed and made his way to the bathroom on autopilot. After a quick shower he dressed in only sweatpants and entered the kitchen for his much needed caffeine fix.

"Morning Espo." Beckett greeted him, far too perky for this time on a Saturday morning.

"You're early." He observed, turning toward the coffee machine.

"We got you one on the way." She handed him a white take away cup which he took gratefully.

After silently taking a few sips he deemed himself perked up enough to hold a conversation. "You're early." He repeated his earlier statement.

"You said that already." She told him.

"Girl," Lanie started, entering the kitchen, "There is no point talking to him before his morning coffee, he will have no recollection of the conversation."

"Noted." Beckett replied with a smirk, "Anyway," She said to Javi, "Blame Castle. He was itching to get here."

Javi noticed for the first time that the writer wasn't in the room, "Where is Castle?"

"He's in the nursery." Lanie said, "He actually offered to change the diaper. Not that I'm complaining."

"Yeah," Beckett chimed in, "Kids and Castle go together surprisingly well."

"Javi, go get some clothes on." Lanie ordered.

Downing the last sip of his coffee he ducked into his bedroom and threw on a polo shirt and switched out his sweats for jeans. When he re-emerged Castle was playing happily on the living room floor with Sebastian.

"Morning Castle."

"Oh, good morning Espositio."

Javi watched as his friend dangled a small blue elephant toy in front of Sebastian, amused as his son attempted to grab it from where he lay on his stomach.

"Alright, where are we starting?" Beckett asked.

"Well," Javi surveyed his small apartment. There were boxes scattered everywhere and empty ones lined the walls waiting to be packed. "Moving guys are going to be here at midday, so I guess..."

"What have you got packed?" Beckett decided that would be an easier question.

"My room," He told her sheepishly, "And some of the nursery."

"Really, Espo? You've had weeks to pack."

"Kate, men are notorious for procrastination." Castle declared, joining them in the kitchen with Sebastian in his arms.

"Yeah, you should really know that by now. Don't you live with Castle?" Javi joked.

"Well, how about Kate and I do the kitchen while you boys get cracking on the nursery?" Lanie delegated.

"Sounds like a plan." Javi took Sebastian from Castle and headed into the nursery.

"Do you reckon they'll get anything done?" Lanie asked Kate when the boys were out of sight.

"Doubt it."

The two women began wrapping the crockery and glasses and stacking them in the empty boxes.

When the kitchen was completely packed away they moved into the living room and began packing away the DVD's.

"A hundred bucks says the boys aren't even half done in the nursery." Kate said. "It's almost eleven."

"I'll go check on them." Lanie got to her feet and pushed the door open to the nursery. Instead of finding them doing nothing like she suspected she walked in to find them putting the label on the last box. "Wow." She told them, "You've actually done it."

"Of course we have." Castle told her, feigning hurt.

Javi scooped Sebastian up from where he lay on his playing mat, "How's the kitchen going?"

"Done. We're working on the living room now."

"You have a whole lot of action movies, Espo." Kate said appearing in the doorway.

Lanie laughed and took Sebastian from Javi, "We need to get everything into the living room for the moving people. I'll feed him if you and Castle get the drawers and crib out there."

She and Kate returned to the kitchen where she quickly mixed up a bottle and began feeding the baby.

"What have we got left to do?" Lanie asked, surveying the room.

"Um, just the CD's and then I think we're done out here."

"The nursery is all done." Javi declared, dragging the crib through the door and into the living room.

"Well, as soon as we get that chest of drawers out." Castle added.

"Well, if you guys finish the living room I'll go and get some lunch." Kate told them.

"Good idea." Castle tossed her his car keys.

"I will return." She declared as the door closed behind her.

By the time Castle and Javi got the chest of drawers from the nursery into the living room, it was almost impossible to get through to the door. When Beckett returned with burgers for everyone she was shocked.

"Wow, this is crazy messy."

"Yeah, well the movers will be here in fifteen minutes." Javi replied.

"Well," She held up a bag of food, "I have lunch."

"Oh, goodie!" Castle snatched the bag from his fiancée's hand, "I'm starving."

When everyone was finished their lunch there was a knock on the door.

"That will be the movers." Javi speculated, getting up to open the door.

The two movers wanted to start with the larger furniture so they all rearranged the boxes so they had a path to the door to get the bed and lounge out first.

When the truck was at capacity Javi gave the men the address of the house and then loaded the remaining few boxes into his and Castle's cars.

"Alright. That's that done." He said, glancing around the empty apartment that had been his home for so long.

"Time to go." Lanie told him, handing his son to him.

They all left the apartment for the last time and climbed into their respective cars.

"You're quiet." Lanie said when Javi hadn't spoken for the drive. They were just pulling into the street that the house was on. "You ok, Javi?"

"Yeah." He placed his hand on her knee, "I really am."

He pulled the car into the driveway of their new home. Castle and Beckett weren't far behind them and before long they had the truck unpacked and all the boxes stacked in the garage.

"Alright, Castle and I will go with the movers to the storage place and get Lanie's things." Javi announced.

"Alright." Lanie walked with Javi to where his car was parked with the doors wide open and a sleeping Sebastian in his car seat. Carefully she took him from the seat and lay him on her shoulder. "We'll start getting some of this packed away." She kissed him goodbye before taking the sleeping baby inside to where Kate had set up the porta-crib.

She gently laid him down, taking a moment to watch him sleep.

"He's precious, isn't he?" Kate declared after a moment.

"Yes he is." Lanie smiled at the sleeping boy she thought of as her own. "You ever think about having kids?"

"Me?" Kate seemed astonished at the question, "I've never thought about it, no."

"Would you ever?"

Kate thought on it for a moment before giving her answer. "I don't know." The two women were silent for a moment until Kate changed the subject. "Where do we start with the boxes?"

Lanie lead her friend out of the office and through the kitchen to the garage. There was definitely a lot of work to do. "Well, these ones here say 'Kitchen', so let's start there."

They each grabbed the closest box to the door and headed into the kitchen to start unpacking.

By the time Castle and Javi returned, Lanie and Kate had cleared enough space in the garage to fit everything from the storage unit.

They were attempting to get the king sized bed up the stairs and into the master bedroom when there was a knock at the door. Lanie, who was supervising with Sebastian in her arms, opened it to see Kevin and Jenny with Sarah Grace.

"Hey, guys." She stepped aside to let them through, "Javi said you weren't going to make it."

"Well, we thought we should swing by and lend a hand." Kevin said, "Where is everyone?"

To answer his question there was a bang from upstairs, followed by a string of curse words.

"They're trying to get the bed into the master bedroom." She walked to the bottom of the stairs and called up to them, "You had better not be breaking my house."

"Nope." Came Castle's strained reply, "Just my foot."

"Man up, Castle," Beckett told him, "It barely got you."

"Are you kidding? You dropped the entire bed on my foot!"

"Can we please get this into the room? It is really heavy!" Javi snapped at them.

"Maybe I should go give them a hand." Kevin said, dashing up the stairs.

"How have you been, Jenny?" Lanie asked, leading her to the couch. It was the only thing in the bare living room.

"Good. You know, tired." She nodded toward the pram where the little girl was sleeping. "But it's been so good."

"That's good to hear."

"This is a lovely house." Jenny said after a moment's silence.

"Isn't it." She beamed, "Would you like a tour?"

"I would love one."

Lanie gave Jenny a tour of the four bedroom home, pointing out features such as the floor to ceiling windows and the ducted heating.

When they came to the master bedroom they watched, amused, as Javi, Kevin, Castle and Beckett tried to place the bed where Javi wanted it.

"But what's wrong with here?" Castle was complaining.

"No, it has to go over there!" Javi ordered.

"Just do not drop it on my foot again, this thing is heavy."

"I didn't drop it on your foot! If you'll remember I was still holding my end when Beckett dropped it."

"I only dropped it because Castle couldn't hold on to his part."

"Guys, come on!" Kevin intervened, "This thing is really heavy, can we please put it somewhere?"

Lanie and Jenny watched on silently as the four eventually got it to where Javi wanted it.

"Amused?" Beckett asked when she spied them.

"Very much so." Jenny said.

"Now you only have to get the crib, two chests of drawers and the bed side tables up here." Lanie informed them with a smile.

"Well, why don't you help?" Kevin asked her, challenging.

"I will. Let me just go put Sebastian down." She and Jenny went back to the living room where Lanie laid out Sebastian's play mat.

"I'll watch him." Jenny said, "Sarah Grace needs feeding now anyway." She gently rocked her fussing child.

"Thanks, Jenny."

Lanie met the others in the garage where they proceeded to move the large furniture and place it where it belonged.

The sun was just beginning to set when they got the bookshelf into the office.

"Is that everything?" Beckett as they slid it against the wall.

"Just the dining table now, I think." Javi told them, "Then we'll call it a day."

When the five of them had set the table in place in the large dining room the each plopped down on a chair.

"Thanks for all the help today." Lanie said, knowing all her friends were exhausted from the day's work.

"What is there left to do?" Castle asked.

"There's still a heap of boxes in the garage but I think we got all the furniture away." Javi said. "But thank you for helping."

"What are we here for, man?" Kevin said, slapping his friend on the back. "But we should go." He leaned back on his chair to check on his wife who was happily entertaining Sebastian while Sarah Grace slept in the porta-crib in the corner of the room.

After saying their goodbyes, Kevin and Jenny left.

"I'm going to order take-out." Javi declared, pulling four beers from the otherwise empty fridge, "You guys staying for dinner?"

"Sure." Castle answered, "As long as you're buying."


	11. Chapter 11

**Wow, so it's been a while... My only excuse is I got wrapped up in my Supernatural x Criminal Minds story, The Prodigal Daughter (You should check it out :) I really love writing it.) But I'm going to do my best keep updating this while still working on all my other half done stories. Man, I really have to stick to one story at a time.**

**Anyways, this chapter features some proper plot. Enjoy.**

**Xoxo**

* * *

"Everyone congratulate me!" Javi announced the second he stepped out of the elevator and into the bullpen.

"Why?" Ryan asked as Javi tool his seat at his desk.

"Because I am officially moved in to my new place."

"You've been living there for months now, Espo." Beckett said, joining in on the conversation.

"Yeah, but last night Lanie and me unpacked the last box."

"You seriously still had boxes?" Ryan asked, clearly shocked.

"Come on, Ryan. You're his partner, you should know him better than that." Beckett told him with a smirk.

"You're right." He conceded.

"Come, on guys." Javi moaned.

"Sorry, Javi," Ryan apologised, "But you know it's true."

"What's true?" Castle asked as he placed a coffee and pastry in front of Beckett.

"Espo unpacked his last box last night." Beckett told him.

"And?"

Beckett and Ryan shared a look before resuming their work.

"Anyway, you all coming round this weekend?" Javi asked them.

"What's this weekend?" Ryan asked, pretending not to know.

"You know, that's not not even funny, bro."

"Don't worry, Espo." Beckett told him, "We'll be there."

"Yeah, don't worry. I wouldn't miss Sebastian's first birthday." Ryan assured him. "Jenny, Sarah-Grace and I will be there."

"Good."

The detectives fell into silence as they got on with their work until they got a call about a homicide. The day passed quickly in a blur of canvassing and questioning potential witnesses and Javi couldn't wait until he got home to his family. It was around six that Lanie came up to get him, and the couple headed home.

Sebastian was sound asleep when they walked into the house, and Mrs Esposito was preparing dinner in the kitchen.

"Mom, how many times do I have to tell you that you don't need to cook for us? You already do enough."

"Please." She smiled, "How often would you eat properly if I don't cook."

"I need a shower." Lanie declared, disappearing upstairs.

"Momma, thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything. You've been amazing this last year."

"Javier. You don't need to thank me. I love looking after my only grandbaby." She turned around and pulled a pot from the stove, "Speaking of, do you have everything ready for the party on Saturday?"

"It's hardly a party. Just us, Beckett and Castle, and Kevin and his family."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Yes, Momma. Everything is done."

"Good, good." She smiled, "Anything else you want to tell me?"

"No… Should there be?"

"Javier, I'm your mother. I know when you're lying to me."

"I'm not lying about anything!"

She gave him a look that said she didn't believe him, but didn't push it. "Anyway, I should head off."

"You're not going to stay for dinner?"

"No, I can't. It's bridge night."

Javi smiled and wrapped his arms around his mother, "See you tomorrow?"

"Of course."

* * *

They finished the case by mid-morning on Friday, so they were all free on the Saturday to celebrate Sebastian's first birthday. Mrs Esposito had come early to shower her grandson with gifts while Javi and Lanie got everything ready for when the guests arrived.

As predicted, Castle went well and truly overboard with gifts bringing many of the latest-and-greatest kids toys on the market.

Javi had gone all out to celebrate his son's first birthday, and fired up the barbeque as well as ordering a large cake from a nearby bakery.

They were just sitting down to their lunch when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." Javi said when Lanie moved to answer it.

He jogged to the front door and pulled it open to reveal a smiling blonde woman. At the sight of her he was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" She beamed, holding up the large wrapped box in her hands.

"No." He tried to close the door in her face, but she held her arm up to stop it. "What the hell are you doing here, Kelly?"

"Can't I see my son on his birthday?"

"No you can't!" Javi couldn't help but raise his voice as the anger bubbled to the surface. "You forfeited that right when you left him!"

"Come on, Javi. He's my son."

"He is my son, Kelly! Not yours, mine!" He roared, unable to control his anger any longer.

"Do not give me that! He's our son."

"You left, Kelly."

"I wasn't ready to be a Mom then, I am now. Just let me see him."

"Not a chance. Go home." Just then Sebastian walked up to them gripping Lanie's hands tightly for support.

"Baby, what's taking so long?" She trailed off when she saw Kelly standing on the doorstep. Lanie had never met the woman, but with Javi's protective stance she gathered that she was uninvited.

"Lanie, take Sebastian back outside." Javi ordered without taking his eyes off Kelly.

"Sebastian." She smiled, "It's sweet."

"Get out of here, Kelly, before I call the cops."

"You'd seriously call the cops on me?" The smile fell from her face, "I'm his mother!"

"You are nothing to him. Leave, now!"

"Can you at least give him this?" She handed him the oversized gift she was carrying. "Please?"

"Fine." He took it from her hands and then slammed the door closed in her face. Instead of taking the gift to Seb, he deposited it in his study before returning to the party. Just before he walked back outside he plastered a fake smile on his face to mask the discomfort he felt about Kelly showing up.

"Everything ok?" Castle asked when he sat down at the outdoor table with everyone else, "You were gone a very long time."

"It's all good, Castle. Everything is fine." He could tell that his friends didn't believe him but they didn't press, something Javi was glad for.

* * *

It was just on dark when everyone decided it was time to leave and it took a further hour for Lanie and Javi to get Sebastian bathed and in bed.

Finally they were able to relax on the couch.

"Are you going to tell me about what happened earlier?" Lanie asked after a long silence. She was laying against his chest with the TV playing quietly. "Who was she?"

"Kelly. Sebastian's mother."

"What did she want?"

"She said that she wanted to be in his life." There was disbelief in his voice.

"But you don't believe her?"

"I'm not letting her anywhere near our son."

Lanie felt her heart skip a beat when he called Sebastian their son. "Our?"

Javi hadn't even realised that he said it, but he considered Sebastian Lanie's son. "Yeah, our son."

* * *

**It's pretty short, I know, but hopefully i'll have more up soon (No promises). Please forgive me.**

**Xoxo**


End file.
